Failed barber caught with £20,000 of cocaine on A30

An Albanian man caught on the A30 in Devon with cocaine worth £20,000 said he was trying to pay off a debt for his failed barber business. Delir Visha, 26, was acting as a courier for a drugs gang when he was stopped heading west near Oakhampton.

He gave police a false name and would not tell them his date of birth. Checks revealed he was an illegal immigrant from Albania.

A search of the Ford Fiesta discovered a quarter kilo of cocaine divided into 250 street deals. A smaller quantity of drugs was found hidden in a sock at his address in Ilfracombe as well as German, Albanian and Greek identity documents.

The defendant admitted possession with intent to supply Class A, obstructing a constable in his duty, using a vehicle without insurance and a licence. He was jailed for two years and three months.

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Victoria Bastock, defending, said he was being directed by others in the drugs gang and paying off a debt he built up in his native land.

"He made the very difficult journey to the UK," said Miss Bastock, "one people do not undertake lightly". She said he was a hardworking man who had worked as an electrician. He took out a loan to fund his barber business but it failed.

She said Visha was willing to go and live with friends in Manchester or London if the judge imposed a suspended sentence.

Judge David Evans said Visha quite clearly expected financial gain to pay off his debts and had some awareness of the drugs operation he was part off. He said Visha should expect to be deported once he is released.