Cops tell Albanian cocktail bar owner his ‘Mafioso ways’ not welcome in UK town | UK | News
A COCKTAIL bar owning drug dealer, who police said behaved like a 1950s Mafia don, has been jailed after a fracas with a man exposed his cocaine supply.
Edmond Borici, 45, former owner of a cocktail bar on Bond Gate in Nuneaton, was convicted of affray, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, and possession of a pointed article in a public place.
This follows the events of August 9 2023, when at 1:22am officers received a 999 call about a disturbance at Borici’s bar.
A Warwickshire Police spokesperson said: “The man said that Borici had threatened him with a knife, and that he was having to defend himself with a beer barrel.
“Police arrived to Borici and the man having a loud verbal altercation outside the premises.
“Borici was arrested at the scene on suspicion of threatening a person with a bladed article.”
After a search, a blue bag containing multiple other bags with about 509g of cocaine in total was discovered in the rear storeroom of the as-yet unopened bar.
It’s value on the street was somewhere near to £50,000.
A second bag was discovered with an additional 17g of cocaine in a hired BMW parked outside the premises – on the back seat, a letter addressed to Borici.
CCTV footage showed Borici exiting the BMW earlier in the evening. The footage also showed an altercation between Borici and the victim, during which the victim held a door shut to prevent Borici – who was holding a knife – from getting to him outside.
Borici was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on 24 June 2024, but only got a sentece of 15 months.
Borici, of Bettina Close in Nuneaton, is also required to pay a victims’ surcharge of £187, as well as £1,785 in a forfeiture order under Section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Investigating officer DC Williams said “Borici seemed to think he could play the part of a 1950s Mafioso, obscuring his criminal activities behind a bar, threatening violence against people he believed had disrespected him.
“We are very happy to let him know that’s not something we are going to accept on the streets of 21st century Nuneaton.”
