Drug ring members ordered to repay over £115,000

Four members of an organised crime group have been ordered to pay back more than £115,048 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The leader 40 year old Ermal Biba, alongside key members of the group, 37 year old Allaman Tatariku, 25 year old Klajdi Lleshi, and 43 year old Adam Sarkowski, were originally sentenced to over 31 years in jail at Leeds Crown Court in August 2023 for conspiring to supply cannabis and cocaine.

They were jailed for over 30 years combined.

At Leeds Crown Court on 28 March 2025 Biba received a Confiscation Order demanding repayment of £108,566.07 having benefitted by £4,542,888.91 from his illegal activities, the repayment amount is based on current assets.

The order made for £108,566.07 must be paid within three months, or a default sentence of two years will added to Biba’s existing sentence

The other drug members had previously received Confiscation Orders in 2024 totalling £6482.35.

Katharine Wells, a Financial Investigator at North Yorkshire Police Economic Crime Unit comments:

“North Yorkshire Police use Confiscation Orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure offenders do not continue to benefit from a lifestyle fuelled by crime.

We will continue to gather evidence and use the Proceeds of Crime Act legislation to investigate the funds of criminals and confiscate any assets or monies we believe they have accrued through their criminal activities."