TWO men who played significant roles trafficking drugs in Kingston have been jailed.

Illiaijan Dautaj, 24, of Shrewsbury Close, Surbiton and Viktor Kurtaj, 32, of East Street, Epsom, were sent to prison for 6 years and 9 months at Kingston Crown Court on 29 November.

It comes after a seven month investigation by the Met Police, Opertaiton Aureum, which targeted an Albanian crime network in Surbiton.

1. 5kg of cocaine was discovered by police at three addresses in Surbiton this year, following simultaneous raids on the properties.

Cooking cocaine, bricks hidden in laundry baskets, cannabis and £80,000 of cash were all found during the April 2021 drug busts.

At hearings, the pair pleaded guilty to two counts of Possession with intent to supply class A drugs, one count of possession with intent to supply class B drugs, and one count of possessing criminal property.

Both men were remanded at Wandsworth Prison until they were charged on the 29 November.

The Court agreed that both Dautaj and Kurtaj played a significant role in a commercial scale drug trafficking enterprise.

Following sentencing, Judge Tregilgas-Davey addressed Kurtaj and Dautaj.

He said: "There is no question that class A drug supply causes significant harm; it destroys lives and rips families apart.

"You two were up to your necks in that wicked trade."