A MAN found dealing cocaine in Basingstoke is likely to be deported after he was jailed on Friday.

Fatbardh Pillati was caught driving a car in May 2020 known to police for drug dealing.

When pulled over, police found more than £500 of import-grade cocaine hidden in a Red Bull can.

The 26-year-old was paid more than £1,000 a week to deal drugs, and even had a house rented for him by his suppliers.

Pillati, an Albanian national, was jailed for two years and eight months and now "likely" faces deportation on his release, according to Recorder Roger Harris.

Police had spotted Pillati, of Chase Side in Enfield, London, driving in Basingstoke just before 11pm on May 22, 2020.

They pulled him over in George Street, Brookvale, and a "fake Red Bull can" was found, containing nine half-gram deal bags of cocaine, prosecutor Roseanna Martin told Winchester Crown Court.

"Also retrieved was a small bag of cannabis from the driver’s door pocket [and] a Samsung mobile phone was attached to the dashboard," she continued.

"Text messages were found on that phone which are consistent with drug dealing.

"£340 of cash was seized from the defendant's tracksuit pocket, further cash and cocaine were seized after a search of the defendant's home address."

Ms Martin said that Pillati's dealing was "motivated by financial or other incentives", adding that he had "some understanding and awareness of the scale" of the drug network.

After the prosecution claimed that the defendant had played a significant role, Graham Gilbert, defending, said that there were "numerous factors that are more consistent with a lesser role".

He said he performed a "limited function under direction", and that the "deeply unfortunate position he found himself in in early 2020 has been exploited".

Mr Gilbert said that Pillati, who sends "everything he can afford" to support his parents, who live in Greece, was drawn into drug dealing after he found himself homeless and without a job.

"This was to a large extent a result of external factors, the absence of accommodation and money," Mr Gilbert told Winchester Crown Court. "Both of those are now addressed. Mr Pillati is working in a factory, having secured that employment through an agency.

"As a result, he is earning sufficient to rent a property with his brother. There must be a prospect of rehabilitation, and that has already begun. Those factors that drove him to a life of crime have been removed."

He added that sending the 26-year-old to prison would "cause undue harm to others".

"He is the provider for his parents who live on the continent. They are Albanian and live in Greece.

"His father is bipolar and unable to work, and his mother works in a factory and earns 25 euros a day.

"Mr Pilati tells me he sends everything he can afford to keep his parents in their home."

But Recorder Harris said that Pillati "made substantial financial gain and would have continued to make significant gains thereafter", had he not been caught.

He was jailed for two years and eight months.

The judge continued: "You will serve up to half of your sentence in custody, it is likely that following that you will be deported, but that is not a matter for me to determine."