A MAN who was deported from the United Kingdom after being caught with cocaine returned to the country within months and was dealing drugs in Bournemouth.

Ronaldo Zani was arrested in October 2019 having been found with several wraps of cocaine when police stopped a vehicle in the town.

He was not charged in relation to this incident, in which he gave a different name, as it was deemed to not be in the public interest when he was to be deported immediately.

However, in April last year officers attended a flat in The Triangle area and as they were knocking on the door Zani came up the communal stairs.

Prosecuting, Graham Gilbert told Bournemouth Crown Court on Tuesday, March 2, that after the defendant confirmed it was his flat they were knocking on he put out his arms and said "just take me".

He was arrested at that point on suspicion of being an 'overstayer' in the UK.

"Mr Zani indicated that he needed to retrieve some property from inside his flat and he was joined by the officers," said Mr Gilbert.

The court heard Zani, 22, told the officers "it's all here in my room". Inside his bedroom police found an open drawer which contained two bags of cocaine cash.

Bournemouth Echo: Ronaldo Zani was jailed at Bournemouth Crown CourtRonaldo Zani was jailed at Bournemouth Crown Court

Zani was further arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and money laundering offences.

A search was conducted which uncovered evidence of the supply of drugs, including two sets of scales, deal bags and deal lists, as well as a fake Greek identity card with the defendant's image but a different name.

A mobile phone was recovered, while the defendant had two further phones on his person. One of them was accessed by police and an outgoing bulk message was found which included the words "I'm back to work".

Mr Gilbert said 24 grams of cocaine was seized, which had a street value of between £1,000 and £1,600, along with £4,250 cash.

Mitigating, Huw Bowden said: "He was smuggled back into the UK (after his deportation) and he owed a debt of £15,000 to the people who had performed that and he would say the subsequent actions were as a result of the payment of that debt."

Zani pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession of criminal property and possession of a fake identity document.

In sentencing the defendant to three years imprisonment, Recorder Don Tait said: "In my judgement, in particular as a result of your previous deportation, I take the view, as far as sentencing is concerned, this is a category three case in which you played a significant role."

He added: "This case is typical of many cases I have to deal with."

The judge noted that the defendant was a victim of serious criminals to an extent, however added: "In 2019 you realised the seriousness of cocaine trafficking."