An Albanian drug dealer who spent time in prison has been granted the right to remain in the UK after he sneaked back into the country. Stiljano Ziu, an asylum seeker who was deported, committed crimes on his return to Britain, yet has been allowed to stay. The criminal had committed a “flagrant” breach of immigration laws, a court heard, after being deported from the UK once already.
Just months after Ziu came to the UK through illegal means, he was sent to prison for producing cannabis. The asylum seeker was freed through the early release scheme by agreeing to be deported in exchange for cutting his sentence short. However, after he was sent back to Albania, Ziu re-entered the UK illegally just weeks later.
Upon arrival, the drug dealer committed further substance offences resulting in another jail stint of four and a half years. The court heard that Ziu came to the UK “prepared to do any activity, legal or illegal”, a crown court judge previously said.
The Albanian criminal first illegally entered the UK in 2017 before he was convicted in November 2018 for the production of cannabis where he was jailed for nine months. The Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the Upper Tribunal has now ruled in his favour to remain in the UK after a lengthy legal battle.
He won his appeal based on his marriage to a Greek woman in the UK, which took place after he entered Britain for the second time in 2019. Following his marriage, the Home Office denied him a residence card, yet won an appeal to remain due to being ruled “not as a present threat”.
However, as a result of his recent drug charges, Upper Tribunal Judge Jonathan Perkins says Ziu may still be subject to deportation.
“He returned within weeks in clear breach of the deportation order”, the court heard. “There can be no clearer case of abuse of immigration laws.
“He took advantage of the early release scheme and had no intention of remaining in Albania. He had the resources, means and contacts to return illegally.”
In 2023, the judge condemned Ziu’s “flagrant and serious breach of UK immigration laws”, but said the Home Office had not shown he was a “present threat” of re-offending.
This decision led to the Home Office appealing the decision at the Upper Tribunal. However, the judge ruled in Ziu’s favour.
“Putting everything together we are satisfied that the judge [in 2023] made a decision that was open to her and gave lawful reasons,” Judge Perkins said.
“We therefore dismiss the Secretary of State’s appeal.”