A 23-year-old Albanian man has been sentenced to 3 years in prison in Britain after being found guilty of possession of cocaine and cannabis with intent to distribute.
Miguel Dollani appeared at Swansea Crown Court after being arrested on August 13 in Swansea. Police found him in a vehicle with the engine running in an area of the city known for drug-related activity.
A search of the car led to the discovery of 19 packets of cocaine, hidden in a cigarette box, as well as five bags containing around 35 grams of cannabis. £130 in cash was also found in the vehicle. According to the prosecution, the value of the drugs amounted to up to £880.
During contact with the police, Dollani stated that he was in Britain illegally and that he was living in the vehicle. He refused to give the officers his phone's PIN code, preventing them from checking the device.
Initially, the 23-year-old denied any knowledge of the drugs and claimed the car belonged to a person named “Alexander.” Later, during the trial, he pleaded guilty to both charges.
The defense presented a different version of his story. Lawyer Dan Griffiths said Dollani had traveled to Britain with the intention of becoming a professional footballer, but had been deceived about the opportunities he had been promised.
According to the lawyer, after the football plans failed, the young man found himself in a difficult situation and was involved in drug distribution by other people, who, according to the defense, took advantage of his situation.
The defense also stated that Dollan wanted to leave Britain and had accepted voluntary deportation, committing not to return to the country.
However, Judge Greg Bull KC rejected the theory that the 23-year-old had gone to Britain to pursue a football career. According to him, Dollani had gone there for other reasons.
Dollani has no previous convictions. Due to his plea of guilty, the court reduced his sentence by a quarter and set the final sentence at three years in prison.
Meanwhile, the length of time he will actually spend in prison and whether he will be deported from Britain after serving his sentence will be decided by the relevant authorities. /LAPSI.al
