Drug dealer working for Albanian gangsters caught by council housing staff

A man who came to Edinburgh to sell drugs for Albanian gangsters was caught due to a council crackdown on short-term housing lets, a court has heard.

Ardit Mazrreku, 27, left Albania to supply narcotics on behalf of an “organised crime group” based in his homeland for narcotics users in the Scottish capital.

On Wednesday, the High Court in Edinburgh heard how Mazrreku was caught on September 25 last year due to the local authority checking properties to see if they were being used illegally.

The court also heard that he has no “right to remain” in the UK.

Prosecutor Brian Gill KC told Judge Lord Erich of how police came to find cocaine with a maximum street value of £188,050 at the flat where the accused was staying in the city’s Newington area.

Detectives also discovered more than £6,000 in cash.

He said: “At 9.50am on September 25, 2024, police officers accompanied staff of Edinburgh City Council on a visit to the flat at… Ratcliffe Terrace.

“The visit was part of a planned programme of visits to properties at several locations across the city in response to concerns that some rental properties were operating as unlicensed short-term lets.

“The council had asked the police to attend these visits as part of preventative measures in case of aggressive behaviour by occupiers of the properties.

“When the officers knocked on the door of the flat, the accused answered the door. The officers explained the purpose of their visit, and a short time later, because the accused said he needed to make a phone call, he let them in.”

The court then heard that officers found the drugs at various locations in the home.

The story emerged after Mazrreku pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine before Lord Ericht on Wednesday.

Mr Gill told the court that the accused was a citizen of Albania, and police were initially concerned that he was a victim of human trafficking.

He added: “As a result of statements that he made to police officers in the course of their investigation into these matters, the police referred him to the national referral mechanism as a potential victim of human trafficking.

“On October 2, 2024, the Home Office single competent authority under the national referral mechanism issued a decision that there were no reasonable grounds to suspect he was a victim of human trafficking.”

The police then learned how Mazrreku came to Scotland.

Mr Gill added: “The accused came to Edinburgh from Albania under the auspices of an organised crime group based in Albania.

“His own involvement in the supply of cocaine in Edinburgh was on behalf of that organised crime group.

“He has no right to remain in the United Kingdom.”

Mr Gill also said the Crown wanted to launch a proceeds of crime action against the accused.

Lord Ericht deferred sentence on the first offender for the court to obtain reports on his background.

He told Mazrreku: “You will be remanded in custody.”

Mazrreku will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on June 18, 2025.