Suspected dealer admits possession with intent to supply after Colchester incident

A SUSPECTED dealer arrested after a spate of drug-related deaths in Colchester has admitted possession with intent to supply.

Police have launched a major investigation after four deaths and a string of non-fatal overdose incidents left the city in shock.

Sabrino Hajderaj, 21, was among a number of people arrested and charged during the investigation.

He appeared at Ipswich Crown Court by video link yesterday to face two charges of drug possession with intent to supply.

Asked how he pleaded to drug charges, Hajderaj, of Sunny Bank, Croydon, said: “Guilty.”

The court heard that Hajderaj was diagnosed with ADHD, autism and behavioral disorders due to drug use.

His judge Emma Peters decided to adjourn sentencing pending further reports on a previous charge and sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court in October 2023.

Hajderaj is due to appear again at Ipswich Crown Court on July 17.

Ahead of his appearance in Ipswich, Hajderaj was released on bail after appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court in May where he pleaded not guilty to the two drug charges.

During the hearing in May, he pleaded guilty to a third charge of possessing a blade in a public place.

At the time, drug-related deaths in Colchester were said to be heroin-related.

Essex Police said the deaths were being treated as “unexplained but not suspicious”.

Hajderaj’s charges related to class A drugs, heroin and crack.

Inspector Mark Jones, leader of North Essex Police’s Operation Raptor team, told the Gazette in May that his team worked quickly to get to the bottom of the deaths.

He said: “But make no mistake, if people think they can act above the law and supply illicit drugs in Essex, we will take the strongest action available.

“Op Raptor is based within Essex Police’s Serious Violence Unit where we have a wide range of specialist skills to disrupt and dismantle county lines.”