Fugitive drug dealer jailed for ten years after extradition from Georgia
Andrew Prince sentenced at Lewes Crown Court for drug offences and assault
A man who fled the UK amid an investigation into serious drug offences has been jailed for ten years following his extradition from Georgia.
Andrew Prince, 29, with no fixed address, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on 9th July after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A, B, and C drugs, as well as Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (ABH).
Prince had been on the run for four years, leaving the UK following his initial arrest in February 2022.
The investigation originated when officers attended a property on Wellington Road, Hastings, on 24th February 2022, for an unrelated matter.
Forensic examinations revealed evidence of a sophisticated operation linked to the production and distribution of Class A, B, and C drugs, leading to Prince's connection to these activities.
The East Sussex Community Investigation Team undertook extensive efforts to trace Prince, discovering that he had left the country.
In collaboration with the National Crime Agency, international partners, and the National Extradition Unit (NEU), detectives obtained a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) warrant for his detention.
Prince was arrested in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 3rd March 2026. Successfully extradited to the UK by the NEU on 15th April 2026, he was taken into custody, charged, and remanded on his return.
Appearing at Lewes Crown Court on 25th May 2026, Prince admitted to multiple counts of drug conspiracy, including eight regarding Class A drugs, and additional charges related to Class B and C drugs and handling counterfeit currency with intent.
He also acknowledged responsibility for an overseas assault against a woman.
On 9th July, Prince received a nine-year imprisonment sentence for drug-related charges with an additional one-year term for the assault, totaling ten years.