Deported drug dealer caught back in UK and locked up for 30 months
Dinghy Dodger Caught Driving Drugs in Southend
Valentin Roci, 27, an Albanian man deported from the UK last year for drug offences, has been slammed behind bars after sneaking back into Britain on a dinghy. The drug dealer was caught red-handed driving a Ford Mondeo in Southend on 21 March 2025, despite having no licence or insurance.
Police stopped Roci for a missing brake light. When he kept reaching towards his groin, officers grew suspicious and searched him. They found:
- £1,195 in cash
- Eight wraps of cocaine
- One wrap of cannabis
Roci refused to say anything, wouldn’t give his address, and also wouldn’t hand over his phone PIN.
Deported but Back on UK Grounds
Court heard Roci was arrested in 2024 for drugs and illegal entry charges, but the drugs case was dropped and he was deported instead. Just months later, he risked a Channel crossing in a small boat to sneak back. Explaining his dodgy comeback, he claimed he was forced back into drug dealing to clear a £4,000 debt to smugglers.
Judge Dismisses ‘Pressure’ Defence
Roci’s lawyer argued he acted under duress from crime gangs, claiming he only kept £200, with the rest for the gang bosses. Judge Shane Collery KC wasn’t buying it. He blasted:
“You were deported last year because they found you in possession of drugs. That was April — and plainly, within months, you were back in the UK. It feels more like somebody who is doing this for money. It is plainly not conducive to the public good to have you in this country.”
Jail Time and Another Deportation
Roci was sentenced to 30 months behind bars and will be swiftly deported once his sentence is served. The judge ordered the nearly £1,200 cash haul handed to the Essex Community Foundation, and the Ford Mondeo seized by police.
