Five men have been jailed for dealing drugs in South Cumbria.
Four of the men were sentenced yesterday, February 3, at Preston Crown Court for possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
They were:
- Erald Sulaj, 22, of Dacre Gardens, Boreham Wood, sentenced to 33 months in prison
- Ergys Elezi, 22, of no fixed address, sentenced to 30 months in prison
- Sokratis Lleshaj, 21, of Rawlinson Street, Barrow, sentenced to 24 months in prison
- Perlat Hamza, 36, of Rawlinson Street, Barrow, sentenced to 32 months in prison
A fifth man, Egzon Doci, 31, of Roxeth Hill, Harrow, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison on April 16 2025 at Preston Crown Court after admitting possession with intent to supply cocaine.
The court heard how police officers were in the area of Story Square in Barrow on March 14 2025 when they saw two men in an alley acting suspiciously before getting into a car.
Police approached the car and Doci got out of the driver’s seat before fleeing on foot, climbing over fences in an effort to evade police.
Officers gave chase and caught up with him.
They were then approached by a member of the public who had witnessed Doci throw something onto a nearby rooftop during the chase.
This was secured and found to be a sock containing wraps of cocaine.
Officers then carried out a search of Doci’s flat in Rawlinson Street where more cocaine was recovered alongside almost £1,000 in cash and a quantity of snap-lock bags.
Doci was sentenced to two years and three months in prison and deported to Albania.
On May 1 2025 officers in Devonshire Road in Barrow stopped a Peugeot 208 due to the manner of driving.
Lleshaj was behind the wheel and he failed a roadside drugs wipe for cocaine and cannabis. He was also found to have bags of cocaine in his pocket.
Following his arrest, officers executed a warrant at his address in Rawlinson Street, where they found Hamza. Hamza was also found with bags of cocaine on his person.
Officers searching the address also recovered 34 sealed bags of cocaine, including 16 which were hidden in a sock under the mattress of a double bed, along with a quantity of cash.
Both men were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cocaine.
On July 21 2025, Sulaj and Elezi were stopped on the M1 in Northamptonshire and arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs
Cumbria police were contacted by Northamptonshire colleagues as Sulaj and Elezi were suspected of controlling and supplying others in the South Cumbria drug dealing operation, including Doci, Lleshaj and Hamza.
On the same day a search was carried out at an address connected to the men, in Kingston-upon-Thames in London.
At the address, officers found around 3oz of cocaine, with a street value of up to £9,000 and over £20,000 in cash.
In addition, they recovered from the address the driving licenses of Sulaj and Elezi, as well as the passport of Sulaj. They also found handwritten notes referencing Sokratis Lleshaj.
A spokesman for the Serious Organised Crime Unit said: “This positive result at court began with eagle-eyed officers on the street engaging with suspicious individuals and making arrests, through a complex and thorough investigation by detectives which saw arrests made and warrants executed across the country.
“This sentencing once again reiterates the fact that Cumbria police will take action against individual or group who believe they can travel to or set up in Cumbria with the purpose engaging in criminal behaviour whilst preying on drug users.”
