London drugs courier on the run for a year after fleeing on foot from Leeds police over 9kg cannabis shipment

Shygyri Nazeraj was finally traced him to his home in West London, when he gave himself up and walked into a police station to confess.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court this week from HMP Leeds, where he was being held on remand, he admitted possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.

The 26-year-old illegal immigrant said he was paid just £300 to drive to West Yorkshire on January 4 last year and pick up nine 1kg packs of cannabis, with a street value of £90,000, prosecutor Bashir Ahmed told the court.

But as Nazeraj and his passenger set off to drive back to London having picked up the drugs, officers stopped them on the outskirts of Leeds at about 1am.

The passenger remained in the car, but when police said they planned to search the vehicle, Nazeraj ran off. The passenger eventually received a 12-month sentence while Nazeraj, of Varsity Drive, Twickenham, remained at large.

Mitigating for Albanian-born Nazeraj, Oliver Small said his client had a limited role in the operation, and was simply a driver. However, Judge Tomy Bayliss KC said his role was a “significant one”.

Mr Small said Nazeraj should have been given credit for giving himself up.

Judge Bayliss jailed him for 13 months and said: “You had a crucial function, and you were clearly motivated by financial advantages. You were trusted to drive to Leeds to pick up a valuable consignment of drugs.”