Six men involved in a Western Balkan organised crime group have been jailed for their roles in supplying cocaine across Swindon, following a major police operation.
The group was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on August 15th, after an extensive investigation led by Wiltshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). The defendants received sentences ranging from eight years to 16 months (suspended).
The six-month operation, codenamed Operation Young, saw officers uncover stash houses used to store cocaine, vehicle hides for transporting the drugs, and key individuals who carried out the group’s daily drug dealing activities.
The operation was fronted by Saimir Neziraj, 32, of Ridge Nether Moor, Swindon. He controlled a cocaine supply line dubbed "Denzel", which relied on drug runners to distribute cocaine throughout the town. Neziraj was responsible for collecting cash and restocking the drug line.
Edmir Beqiri, 37, of Cricklade Road, Swindon, played the role of warehousing cocaine in the town. Meanwhile, Ardian Gjeta, 26, of Westcot Place, Swindon, and Jorgo Brachousai, 24, of Sea View Road, Skegness, were tasked with day-to-day street dealing.
On February 1st, 2024, Neziraj was seen travelling to London, where he met with Ergys Abdyli, 26, of Parkgate Mansions, in a quiet cul-de-sac in Barnet. Neziraj collected cocaine from Abdyli before returning to Swindon and passing the drugs to Beqiri for safekeeping.
The investigation revealed that the “Denzel” phone line, used to arrange drug deals, was managed by Nertil Halili, 29, of Jackson Street, Derby. Halili, with Neziraj’s help, directed the street-level supply of cocaine in Swindon from Derbyshire.
A critical moment in the investigation occurred in March 2024, when SOCU officers observed Halili and Neziraj meeting in West Bromwich, where the Denzel handset was passed between the two. This exchange was a major mistake for the group.
In coordinated dawn raids carried out in Swindon, Derby, and north London in early March, large amounts of cash and cocaine were seized, and all six men were arrested. They were charged with Class A drug offences and held in custody. All defendants later pleaded guilty.
The men were sentenced as follows:
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Saimir Neziraj, 32 – Eight years for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
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Nertil Halili, 29 – Seven years and 10 months for being concerned in the supply of cocaine and re-entry in breach of deportation order.
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Edmir Beqiri, 37 – Three years and eight months for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
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Ergys Abdyli, 26 – Five years and 11 months for being concerned in the supply of cocaine, possession of criminal property, perverting the course of justice, and possessing false ID documents with intent.
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Ardian Gjeta, 26 – Two years and one month for being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possession of criminal property.
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Jorgo Brachousai, 24 – 16 months (suspended for two years) for being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
DC Hunt, who led the case for SOCU, said: “As a team, we worked tirelessly for several months in identifying exactly how the group operated.
“It involved the analysis of communications data, hours of surveillance in identifying the hierarchy within the group and months of case work to bring the offenders in this case to justice.
“Cocaine is a destructive drug that plagues our communities. Its impact leaves a trail of destruction in its wake.
“I am confident that the impact of this operation has had a real impact on the supply of cocaine in Swindon.
“Keeping our communities safe is paramount and I make a request for members of our communities to come forward with any information they have regarding the supply of drugs.”
DS Mulliss, also from SOCU, added: “My staff are relentless in their drive to disrupt organised crime. This investigation took up many hours and no stone was left unturned in the investigation into this organised crime group.
“I support the comments of DC Hunt; we work on intelligence and the communities we serve are the best source for information to disrupt organised crime.”
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