An Albanian man has been sentenced to eight years in prison in the United Kingdom after admitting to leading an organized crime group responsible for the supply and distribution of cocaine, authorities said.

Muharem Hekali, 28, was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and possession of criminal property.

According to investigators, the case began in September 2025 when officers searched a property in Atherton and uncovered a makeshift cocaine processing and packaging operation. Police seized hundreds of wraps of cocaine, electronic scales, more than £9,000 in cash, and documents detailing the gang's distribution network.

An examination of mobile phones later revealed that Hekali was directing the criminal enterprise, coordinating drug suppliers and street-level dealers. Following his arrest in February 2026, officers recovered an additional 850 grams of cocaine concealed at his home, along with a further £5,000 in cash.

Police said the group produced more than 53,000 individual cocaine deals during the course of its operation, with an estimated street value exceeding £1.67 million.

Two of Hekali's associates, Nikolaos Giousoufidis and Christos Kompos, were also convicted in connection with the investigation. Both were sentenced in April to three-and-a-half years in prison for their roles in the same cocaine trafficking network.