Albanian Gangster Who Lost His Deportation Appeal 15 Months Ago Leaves People Shocked After They Discover Where He Is Now

Maksim Cela, a 60-year-old Albanian gangster, is still in Britain more than a year after losing what was described as his final appeal against deportation.

Cela was convicted of masterminding the murder of an anti-mafia police officer in Albania in 2000. He was also convicted over a plot to blow up an Albanian football stadium. He spent 23 years in prison for the murder before being released in December 2022.

After his release, Cela travelled to Heathrow Airport and entered the UK using a fake passport. Since then, he has been fighting attempts to remove him from Britain.

During his legal battle, Cela claimed he could not safely return to Albania. At one point, he argued that the elderly mother of the police officer he had been convicted of killing could seek revenge against him.

He later changed his argument, claiming that he could face torture or degrading treatment if he was sent back to Albania.

His case has continued for months and has reportedly cost British taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds in legal support.

Cela’s identity was eventually revealed following a lengthy campaign by The Sun, after he had been granted anonymity by the courts. The newspaper challenged the decision, arguing that the public should know about the case.

At a hearing, Judge Jeremy Rintoul rejected Cela’s appeal and described him as a liar. The ruling meant that he had lost his legal challenge against being deported.

However, despite losing the appeal around 15 months ago, Cela has still not been removed from Britain. He is reportedly still at large and is believed to be living in Birmingham.

The situation has raised further questions about why a convicted foreign criminal who has already lost his appeal against deportation remains in the UK for so long.

Cela has continued to argue that returning to Albania could put him at risk of revenge attacks and torture, while the British authorities have maintained that they want him removed from the country.

The Home Office had previously indicated that Cela’s removal was imminent. However, when asked why he remains in Britain, the department said it was not prepared to provide a running commentary on his case.

A Home Office spokesperson said the department would do everything in its power to deport the “dangerous criminal”.

The Home Office also said that nearly 10,000 foreign criminals had been removed from Britain since the last general election.

Despite that statement, Cela remains in the UK, leaving questions over when his deportation will finally take place.