DRUGS IN CABS
GLASGOW PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER BUSTED WITH £148K IN BAG FOR LIFE
A Glasgow private hire driver is facing the music after police caught him transporting more than £148,000 in “dirty money” hidden inside a supermarket bag. Irfan Sarwar, 44, was snared during a targeted surveillance operation by the National Crime Agency in November 2021. Officers watched as Sarwar left his home in Robroyston carrying a heavy-looking bag for life. Prosecutor Ryan Watson told Glasgow Sheriff Court: “Officers
saw he was carrying a bag for life which appeared to be weighted. Sarwar placed the bag inside and drove off.” Police later pulled the 44-year-old over in Maryhill traffic, where they discovered the massive haul. “There was a bag in the footstool which had a large quantity of cash. There were three bundles of cash containing £148,555,” Mr. Watson added. The court heard that Sarwar claimed he was acting as a courier
for a group of Albanian men he met outside a pub. He told investigators that a man named “Vino” offered him £200 to move the package - an offer he said he took because he was “struggling financially.” Sarwar pleaded guilty
to
possessing criminal property on March 31, and while he remains out on bail, a sheriff has warned that sentencing is deferred until next month for background reports.
JAILED: DRUG DEALER CAUGHT USING PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE TO SELL COCAINE IN WEST SUSSEX
A man who used a private hire vehicle as a cover to sell cocaine in West Sussex has been sent to prison for two years. The arrest happened on March 13, after police spotted 37-year-old Ergys Rexha getting out of a private hire vehicle in Yapton to meet a customer. Officers watched him return to the vehicle less than a minute later. Specialist Enforcement Unit officers stopped the car nearby on Bittern Avenue and took Rexha into custody. During a search, police found 13 vials of cocaine hidden inside a cigarette packet in his pocket. Another 12 vials were later found hidden in his underwear while he was at the police station. Rexha, who has no fixed address, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply at Lewes Crown Court on April 13.
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£12,000 in cash, 12 knives, and 17 mobile phones. Crucially, officers also identified and protected 26 children and 20 vulnerable adults who were being exploited by these gangs.
Detective Inspector Jason Parry praised the result, stating: “We are continuing our work to disrupt the supply of drugs which cause so much harm across Arun District. “This case demonstrates our determination to catch offenders and ensure they are prosecuted. We are pleased that Rexha is now serving a custodial sentence.” The arrest was part of “County Lines Intensification Week,”
a
major police crackdown on organised drug networks. Across West Sussex, the operation led to 37 arrests and the seizure of
Chief Superintendent Imran Asghar explained that “County lines” involves organised crime groups using dedicated phone lines to run drugs, often forcing young or vulnerable people to work for them. “Our officers work all year round to disrupt the supply of drugs which cause so much harm in our communities and to
target
offenders who prey on vulnerable children and adults,” Asghar said. “The impact and harm of county lines drug dealing is immense for the individuals being exploited and also considerable for our communities across West Sussex.”
MAY 2026 PHTM
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