COUPLE CRACKED: Cannabis Cash Caper Ends in Jail

In a cinematic takedown, a Birmingham couple found themselves behind bars after a National Crime Agency raid netted them with cannabis and cash. Albanian nationals Kristian Lleshi, 35, and Xhulijana Trimi, 29, were cornered at their Cornbrook Road home last September. The NCA kicked down the door to find two large bin bags in the loft brimming with seven kilos of vacuum-packed cannabis. Another two kilos were stashed in a TK MAXX bag on the landing. To top it off, they rumbled £51,450 in cash hidden across the house—from a protein shake container to under the bed. High-value items like gold jewellery and designer handbags were also seized. Trimi claimed she bought these secondhand, but investigators found receipts showing direct purchases from Selfridges in cash. Lleshi clammed up during questioning, while Trimi spun a tale of only knowing Lleshi for three months through a Banbury car wash. Her social media, however, told a different story, with loving comments under photos of them together. A second man at the house was an immigration offender and handed over to Immigration Enforcement. The NCA’s operation also led to the discovery of a £78,000 cannabis farm in Dudley, with ongoing investigations into that bust. Lleshi and Trimi pleaded guilty on 7 October and 4 March respectively. Yesterday (24 June), Lleshi was sentenced to two years and two months, while Trimi faces 18 months behind bars. NCA Branch Commander Saju Sasikumar quipped: 'Trimi’s story lacked credibility. We showed they were in on the job together.'