Albanian Crime Duo Jailed Over Cocaine and Semi-Automatic Handgun Haul

Key Points

• Zyber Tusha, 47, and Oltjan Serferi, 21, jailed for drugs and firearms offences linked to an Albanian organised crime group.
• Tusha sentenced to 12 years and six months at Harrow Crown Court; Serferi sentenced to four years.
• Tusha admitted possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of a firearm.
• Serferi admitted possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.
• Arrests carried out by the London Organised Crime Partnership (National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police) on 5 February at the Beaufort Estate, Colindale, north-west London.
• 19kg of cocaine worth around £1.5 million and a loaded Springfield semi-automatic handgun with 14 bullets found in Tusha’s flat.
• Officers also recovered £40,615 in cash, six fake IDs, five mobile phones and 21kg of cutting agent.
• Serferi arrived during the raid carrying a further 4kg of cocaine worth £320,000, dropped it and fled before being caught.
• Both men were in the United Kingdom illegally and will be deported after completing their sentences.
• Senior investigating officer Andrew Tickner said firearms and Class A drugs are “inextricably bound together” by such crime groups.

Colindale (Britain Today News) July 24, 2026 – Two members of an Albanian organised crime group have been jailed for drugs and firearms offences after a raid on a flat in north-west London uncovered nearly £1.9 million worth of cocaine, a loaded handgun and thousands of pounds in cash. Zyber Tusha, 47, was sentenced to 12 years and six months, while Oltjan Serferi, 21, of no fixed abode, received four years, after both men admitted their roles in a drug-trafficking operation broken up by the London Organised Crime Partnership earlier this year.

Who Were the Two Men Jailed Over the Cocaine and Firearms Haul?

The two men at the centre of the case are Zyber Tusha, 47, and Oltjan Serferi, 21. Tusha, who lived at the Beaufort Estate in Colindale, north-west London, was identified as the more senior figure in the operation and admitted possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of a firearm. Serferi, described as having no fixed abode, admitted possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. Both men have been confirmed as members of an Albanian organised crime group operating in the capital.

What Sentences Did Zyber Tusha and Oltjan Serferi Receive?

Appearing at Harrow Crown Court, Tusha was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison. Serferi, who admitted the lesser charge of possession with intent to supply, was sentenced to four years. The sentencing took place on Friday 24 July, following their earlier guilty pleas.

When and Where Did the Arrests Take Place?

The operation that led to the arrests was carried out on 5 February this year by the London Organised Crime Partnership, a unit comprising officers from the National Crime Agency and the Metropolitan Police. Tusha was arrested at his home on the Beaufort Estate in Colindale, north-west London, where officers had gathered intelligence pointing to significant drug and firearms activity.

What Did Officers Find Inside Zyber Tusha’s Flat?

A search of Tusha’s property uncovered a substantial quantity of illegal drugs and a firearm. Officers recovered 19kg of cocaine, with an estimated street value of around £1.5 million, alongside a Springfield semi-automatic handgun that was loaded with 14 bullets. In addition to the drugs and firearm, officers seized £40,615 in cash, six fake identification documents, five mobile phones and 21kg of cutting agent used to bulk out the cocaine for street sale.

How Was Oltjan Serferi Caught During the Raid?

While officers were in the process of arresting Tusha, Serferi arrived at the scene carrying a bag containing a further 4kg of cocaine, valued at approximately £320,000. On realising officers were present, Serferi dropped the bag and attempted to flee on foot. He was pursued and quickly caught by officers before he could escape the area.

What Was the Total Value of the Drugs Seized?

Combining the 19kg of cocaine found inside Tusha’s flat, valued at around £1.5 million, with the 4kg Serferi was carrying, valued at £320,000, the total street value of cocaine recovered during the operation was close to £1.9 million. The cutting agent seized alongside the drugs indicated the scale at which the group intended to process and distribute the cocaine further.

What Was the Immigration Status of the Two Men?

Both Tusha and Serferi were confirmed to be in the United Kingdom illegally at the time of their arrest. As a result of their immigration status, both men will be deported from the UK once they have completed their respective custodial sentences.

What Did the Senior Investigating Officer Say About the Case?

Senior investigating officer Andrew Tickner commented on the wider significance of the case, highlighting the connection between firearms and drug supply within organised crime groups. He said:

“Firearms and Class A drugs are inextricably bound together by crime groups like these and they pose so many threats to the community.”

He added:

“The OCP will continue doing all we can to protect Londoners by removing such offenders from our streets.”

Which Agencies Were Involved in the Investigation?

The investigation and subsequent arrests were carried out by the London Organised Crime Partnership, a specialist unit made up of officers from both the National Crime Agency and the Metropolitan Police. The partnership is specifically tasked with targeting organised crime networks operating within London, focusing on groups involved in the supply of Class A drugs, firearms offences and related criminality.

What Happens Next for Tusha and Serferi?

With sentencing now concluded at Harrow Crown Court, both men will serve their custodial terms within the UK prison system. Tusha faces 12 years and six months behind bars, while Serferi will serve four years. Given their confirmed illegal immigration status, both are expected to be deported from the United Kingdom immediately upon completion of their sentences, in line with standard procedure for foreign nationals convicted of serious offences.
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Why Does This Case Matter for Tackling Organised Crime in London?

Officials involved in the case have framed the sentencing as part of a broader effort to dismantle organised crime networks operating in the capital. The scale of the seizure — nearly £1.9 million in cocaine, a loaded firearm, substantial cash and false identity documents — points to an operation of significant scope. Andrew Tickner’s remarks underline the agency’s stated intent to continue targeting groups where drugs and firearms offences overlap, describing such crime groups as posing “so many threats to the community.”

The case forms part of ongoing efforts by the London Organised Crime Partnership to tackle Albanian organised crime groups, which have been linked in recent years to the supply of cocaine across the UK. The combination of a loaded semi-automatic handgun, tens of thousands of pounds in cash, false identification documents and a substantial quantity of cutting agent suggests officers were dealing with an operation designed for sustained, large-scale drug distribution rather than a one-off supply.

The presence of six fake IDs recovered from Tusha’s flat also points to efforts by those involved to evade detection and maintain false identities, a tactic often associated with organised crime groups seeking to operate under the radar of law enforcement and immigration authorities.

The dramatic scenes during Serferi’s arrest — arriving mid-raid with a further 4kg of cocaine before dropping the bag and attempting to flee — illustrate the fast-moving nature of the operation on 5 February. Officers were able to react swiftly, catching Serferi shortly after he abandoned the drugs and ran.

Both men’s guilty pleas at Harrow Crown Court meant the case proceeded directly to sentencing without the need for a trial. Tusha’s admission covered both the drugs and firearm offences, while Serferi’s plea related solely to the Class A drug supply charge, reflecting the differing roles the two men are understood to have played within the wider group.

The sentencing outcome — 12 years and six months for Tusha and four years for Serferi — reflects the differing severity of the charges each man admitted, with Tusha’s firearms possession alongside the drugs offence contributing to a substantially longer custodial term.

With deportation to follow the completion of their sentences, the case also underscores the immigration dimension often associated with organised crime prosecutions of this nature, as both men were confirmed to have no legal right to remain in the UK.

The London Organised Crime Partnership has indicated, through Andrew Tickner’s comments, that operations of this kind will continue, with the stated aim of removing offenders involved in the parallel supply of firearms and Class A drugs from London’s streets.