An Albanian drug trafficker, apprehended with 8 kilograms of heroin and photographed surrounded by £250,000 in cash, has been permitted to remain in the United Kingdom. This decision has sparked intense backlash against the British justice and immigration systems.
Olsi Beheluli, 33, immigrated to Britain at the age of nine. In 2015, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his involvement in a criminal group engaged in heroin trafficking. His arrest occurred just eight months after he had reportedly obtained British citizenship under suspicious circumstances, having allegedly concealed his criminal past on his naturalization application, The Telegraph reported.
He was intercepted in northwest London transporting 8 kilograms of pure heroin valued at approximately £200,000, en route to a warehouse. Authorities also discovered forged documents and drug scales at the location. On his phone, the National Crime Agency (NCA) uncovered a photograph showing Beheluli surrounded by £250,000 in cash—evidence of a lavish lifestyle built on crime.
Legal Battles and Scrutiny of the Justice System
Despite calls for his deportation from both the Home Office and the NCA, a first-tier tribunal ruled in Beheluli’s favor. The tribunal cited a lack of concrete evidence, such as surveillance or direct testimony, proving his involvement in crime before acquiring citizenship.
However, the Home Office appealed this decision, arguing it was “unreasonable to believe that ‘someone unknown to the world of drugs would be trusted with such a large quantity of heroin and significant money’.” The High Court accepted this reasoning and ordered a review of the case.
Beheluli’s case highlights the challenges British authorities face in balancing human rights protections with public safety. Despite strong claims from authorities that he defrauded the system to obtain citizenship and was part of an organized criminal structure, Beheluli currently retains the right to remain in Britain.
