From music to criminal life/ Daily Mail 'deconstructs' Hellbanianz: How they left London for Dubai

"From a council estate in east London to the glitz of Dubai," is how the British media outlet Daily Mail describes the journey of the well-known Albanian criminal group Hellbanianz, which has built its name on fear, violence, and a public image filled with excessive luxury and arrogance on social media.

From the high-rise towers of the Gascoigne Estate in Barking, where they dealt cocaine and recruited young Albanians on the streets of London, the Hellbanianz have moved to another continent. Far from the eyes of British police, the group's senior members are now based in Dubai, where they are enjoying the fruits of a dubious fortune, Rolls Royce cars, dinners with views of the Burj Khalifa and luxurious parties in the desert.

From the concrete of Barking to the desert of Dubai

According to the Daily Mail, the decision to leave the UK came after the demolition of most of the buildings where the group had "set up base" on the Gascoigne Estate, as part of an urban regeneration programme by Barking and Dagenham Borough Council.

With the fall of the base, so did their direct control over the area. The group's leader, Ervin Selita - known by the nickname "Vinz", is said to have relocated to Dubai along with some of his closest associates.

After a period of imprisonment in Albania, where he was arrested for an attempted murder in Tirana in 2022, Selita was released in July 2023 with the obligation to maintain contact with the probation service. Immediately after his release, he temporarily returned to Britain and then permanently moved to the United Arab Emirates.

The new luxurious life and "criminal marketing" on TikTok

Numerous photos and videos on TikTok show Selita and other members of the group traveling in luxury cars around Dubai, enjoying life in luxury resorts and using hashtags like "#DubaiSettings" and "life style like Arab".

In a photo shared by the group itself, the members, except for Selita, have covered their faces with keffiyeh scarves as they pose in the desert on a buggy. In another shot, Selita and his collaborator known as "Diablo" pose shirtless with skyscrapers in the background.

On TikTok, through a kind of "criminal propaganda", the group continues to inspire young Albanians, especially those from northern Albania, who see them as models of success through crime.

From the music scene to a life of crime

Hellbanianz originally started as a music group in 2000, but turned into a criminal organization in 2002. With the motto "We are God of the Streets," the group used music as a tool to recruit young people and glorify the criminal lifestyle.

In 2011, the group was involved in an armed clash in Trafalgar Square with rival gang OTR – “On Top of the Rest”, in which minors also participated.

Some of the most well-known members, such as “Skilla” (Sabajet Shuti) and “Gucci” (Fabion Kuci), are currently in prison for serious offences, including murder and armed robbery. Skilla was extradited from Sweden and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of 27-year-old Lumturi Zeqja in Leytonstone.

Despite some being behind bars, the group continues to have an impact on the streets of Barking, where individuals like Skilla's brother, Emirlion Shuti (OneMili), still appear on social media with clear symbols and messages about their affiliation.

In a recent video, OneMili and others pose in front of a Mercedes with the license plate "3 SKILLA", while numerous comments with the phrase "Free Skilla" are circulating online.

Dubai, the ideal haven for drug lords

According to Daily Mail sources, Dubai has long become a favorite haven for international traffickers, including British, Irish and Russian ones. The opportunities to invest dirty money, to get a “golden visa” if they buy property worth over 400 thousand pounds, as well as the distance from British jurisdiction make Dubai ideal for criminals looking to “disappear from the radar”.

"If anyone from the group rises to a leadership level in London, they know they risk facing justice. Meanwhile, leaders, like Selita, live quietly in Dubai, managing everything remotely," a source tells the Daily Mail.

According to this source, criminals also often use Dubai to build new networks - meeting other traffickers with access to strategic ports for international drug shipments.

"Dubai is the epicenter of dirty money. For years, traffickers have been traveling there with cash to buy gold or to open fictitious businesses, often linked to money laundering, prostitution or the luxury sports car industry," he continues. /DailyMail