Deported drug-growing Albanian caught back living in Leeds after illegal English Channel crossing

Arsen Murati was jailed for growing cannabis in November 2021 and a short time time later was removed from the country and sent to Greece, where he has dual nationality with Albania.

But officers stopped a silver Honda Civic on the M62 on March 19 this year because of its poor state, and found the 29-year-old inside. They found his driving licence bearing his details and arrested him.

He had been staying at an address on Barkly Road, Cross Flatts, Leeds, and admitted a charge of breaching a deportation order. He appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.

Prosecutor Lauren Smith said Murati had made an application to stay to the UK in October 2019, which was granted, giving him permission to remain until December this year. But he was jailed for eight months at Bradford Crown Court in November 2021 being concerned in the supply of cannabis, and deported two months later.

Sign up for our free newsletters now

Having been caught on the M62, he told officers he had been back in the UK for around eight months and had landed in an illegal boat from France without informing immigration officers.

Mitigating, Erin Kitson-Parker said: “He understands it’s a serious offence and should not have ignored the deportation order. He has expressed his remorse to me and is sorry for being in the UK committing another offence.”

Judge Andrew Stubbs KC told Murati: “You did not like it back in Greece and so came back to the UK. You know you should have not come and know you should have not come in a small boat.”

He jailed him for 12 months and fully expects Murati to be deported again once he is eligible for parole.