Dealers jailed after police discover cocaine haul

Mecani, right, and Duraj were jailed on Monday

A pair of drug dealers have been jailed after bags of cocaine and nearly £20,000 in cash were discovered after police stopped a car in Nottingham.

Police said officers found bags of the drug in a car being driven by Marios Mecani, 24, on Derby Road in Radford on 18 April this year.

The force said Xhanluka Duraj, 20, was later arrested after his identification card was found at Mecani's former address along with more drugs and large sums of cash.

Both men were sentenced to three years and six months in jail when they appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday.

The defendants, both of no fixed abode, had admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply at an earlier hearing.

They had also pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property, namely £19,730.

Police found a haul of drugs and cash after searching Mecani's former address in Alfreton Road.

Police said Mecani initially claimed the drugs found in the car were for his own use but when officers went to his home they found £30,000 worth of cocaine and bundles of cash.

Duraj was found on 19 April and arrested after trying to run away from police who had been called to reports of men trying to enter a student property.

He was searched and police recovered bundles of cash and a phone the defendant had tried to destroy.

Det Con Malachi Keane, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Mecani and Duraj were clearly involved in a significant drug dealing operation and were caught red-handed with thousands of pounds worth of cocaine, a significant amount of cash and drug paraphernalia all tied to them."