After the incident in Colchester, alleged dealer admits possession with intent to sell

A suspected dealer arrested following a series of drug-related deaths in Colchester has admitted possession with intent to resell.

After four deaths and a series of non-fatal overdose incidents left the city in shock in May, police launched a comprehensive investigation.

Sabrino Hajderaj, 21, was one of many people arrested and charged during the investigation.

He appeared via videolink at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday to face two charges of possession of drugs with intent to supply.

When asked how he pleaded to the drug charges, Hajderaj, of Sunny Bank, Croydon, replied: “Guilty.”

The court heard that Hajderaj had been diagnosed with ADHD, autism and behavioural disorders due to drug use.

Her Honour Judge Emma Peters decided to defer sentencing pending further reports regarding 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.

Before appearing in Ipswich, Hajderaj was released on bail after appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court in May, where he pleaded not guilty to the two drugs charges.

During the hearing in May, he indicated that he would also plead guilty to a third charge, namely possession of a knife in a public place.

At the time, it was said that the drug-related deaths in Colchester were linked to heroin use.

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

The charges against Hajderaj concerned the Class A drugs heroin and crack cocaine.

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

He said: “But make no mistake, if people think they can break the law and sell illegal drugs in Essex, we will take the strongest action at our disposal.”

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