Police send texts to 2,000 customers of an Albanian drug gang that supplied cocaine to City workers to offer them support with drug abuse
- The numbers of those affected were found on two seized phones by police
- Forces across the country have been targeting addicts with the new tactic
- The City of London Police tracked 12 Albanians who were caught with 1.2kg of cocaine worth £144,000, fake identity documents and £20,000 in cash
Police have sent text messages to 2,000 customers of an Albanian drug gang that supplied cocaine to people working in London’s financial centre to offer them support with drug abuse.
The mobile numbers of those affected were found on two seized phones from an Albanian organised crime network.
Forces across the country have been targeting addicts and regular clients of dealers with the tactic, according to reports in The Times.
The mobile numbers of those affected were found on two seized phones from an Albanian organised crime network
The text message said that the dealers connected to the phone had been arrested and their customers were being contacted to be offered help.
A link in the message, which has been clicked on 1,852 times in Britain, offered advice and support for substance abuse.
The two ring-leaders Bledar Ponari, 28, (pictured) and Fjoralb Fera, 21, ruled over eight couriers
The City of London Police tracked 12 Albanians who were caught with 1.2kg of cocaine worth £144,000, fake identity documents and £20,000 in cash.
They were jailed for between 25 and 64 months at Inner London Crown Court and the Old Bailey over the last 12 months.
The two ring-leaders Bledar Ponari, 28, and Fjoralb Fera, 21, ruled over eight couriers and two call handlers as they peddled drugs across the capital’s financial district.
Detective Constable Lee Johnson, who led the eight-month investigation, said people using drugs were not aware that they were fuelling violent crime and slavery.