AN illegal immigrant who was jailed after being caught with thousands of pounds worth of drugs is facing deportation.

The Home Office says it will consider removing convicted criminal Astrit Kullsi from British shores at the ‘earliest opportunity’

Albanian national Astrit Kullsi entered the country illegally and was caught in the drug dealing enterprise near the town centre.

The 33-year-old was also armed with a knife after being stopped by police, and he is now behind bars.

When asked by the Warrington Guardian whether deportation proceedings would be pursued, a Home Office spokesman said that it does not comment on individual cases.

However, they added: “Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity.

“This Government puts the rights of the British public before those of criminals, and we are clear that foreign criminals should be deported from the UK wherever it is legal and practical to do so.

“We removed 11,532 foreign national offenders since January 2019 to March 2022.”

Kullsi was charged with possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of a knife in public, and he appeared to be sentenced at Chester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 9.

The court heard from prosecutor Alan Currums how the defendant was caught on Napier Street on November 2 with a quantity of the controlled class B drug cannabis.

According to experts, this had a street value of between £16,000 and £28,000, set to be dealt on the streets of Warrington.

Officers also found that he was in possession of a retractable red knife without good reason or lawful authority.

Magistrates took his guilty plea into account, however they remarked that there was no realistic alternative to immediate custody.

This was due to the offences being ‘so serious’ that only a custodial sentence can be justified, as well as the defendant performing a ‘key role’ in a large drug dealing operation.

Kullsi, whose address was given in court as Mersey Street in the town centre, was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Orders were also approved for the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis, and to deprive the defendant of the knife.

No order was imposed for court costs due to immediate custody being imposed, however he must pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £187.