A DRUG dealer has been jailed for his involvement in cocaine supply to the Isle of Wight.

Gezim Bajrami, 26, was stopped in a car, by police, in Ryde, on February 17.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard that when officers searched the vehicle — which Bajrami was not insured to drive — they found seven bags of cocaine.

Bajrami himself was also found to be under the influence of cocaine.

Two days later, magistrates disqualified Bajrami from driving, while the police investigation into the drugs supply continued.

On March 6, Bajrami was again spotted by police driving in the Ryde area.

When officers stopped the car, Bajrami was found to have been smoking cannabis whilst driving, the court heard.

Searches of the vehicle led to the discovery of a package of cocaine.

Bajrami was later charged with two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to supply, two counts of driving without insurance, possession of cannabis and driving whilst disqualified.

He admitted all of the offences, claiming he had been collecting the drugs from the mainland and transporting them to the Island for a third party, for onward distribution.

Appearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday (September 30), Bajrami was jailed for 21 months and banned from driving for 20 months.

The judge said Bajrami had been acting as a courier and would have had some understanding of the quantity of drugs being transported, noting the quantity was "far from trivial".

PC Tom Wyld, of the Isle of Wight Area Crime Team, said: “Bajrami’s conviction and sentence comes as a result of persistent efforts by officers across numerous teams — including the Area Crime Team and neighbourhood officers — to develop drugs intelligence and relentlessly pursue those involved in supply.

“Drugs are a scourge on the community, causing untold harm and are often linked to other offences such as serious violence and anti-social behaviour.

“There is no place for it on our Island and we encourage anyone with information about drugs supply in their neighbourhood to keep reporting this to police.

"Every bit of information you provide will assist us in developing the wider intelligence picture and ultimately enable us to take action against the criminals involved.”

If you have information about drugs supply in your area, you can contact police on 101, or report crime via the reporting tool at www.hampshire.police.uk