Police hunt for alleged bogus asylum seeker accused of conning his way into job with...

A judge yesterday issued an arrest warrant for an alleged illegal immigrant who worked for the Serious Organised Crime Agency. Elidon Habilaj, 35, an Albanian accused of faking his UK application by posing as a Kosovan asylum-seeker 13 years ago, failed to show for his court case.

He worked for the Metropolitan Police before transferring to an office job with SOCA, which deals with criminal networks including those based in the Balkans.

But, after suspicions were aroused, he was ‘watched’ as part of a SOCA inquiry – even though the agency was unaware he actually worked for them.

After he was exposed Habilaj, of Wanstead, East London, was bailed and fled abroad, possibly to his homeland, despite not having his passport. He has renounced his UK citizenship and applied for an Albanian passport.

Habilaj faces charges including using false details to obtain leave to enter or remain in the UK from 1998 to 2011 and fraud.

(continue reading...)