It was from a rundown council estate in east London that the Hellbanianz made their name.
The notorious Albanian cartel, who flaunt their lavish lifestyle filled with fancy cars, diamond-encrusted Rolexes and half-naked girls in music videos, are feared across the streets of London.
From the high rise towers of the Gascoigne Estate in Barking, the Hellbanianz terrorised residents as they peddled cocaine across the capital and recruited young Albanians to join their gang.
And while other gangs may attempt to keep a low profile, the brazen group deliberately share images of themselves brandishing weapons and posing with large wads of cash across social media, and have engaged in open warfare on London’s streets.
A few years ago they went as far as driving military vehicles fitted with heavy machine guns through the Gascoigne Estate for a rap video entitled Poppin Smoke.
But a regeneration scheme by Barking and Dagenham council has seen almost all the flats – which the group ‘had taken control of’ – knocked to the ground, and with it came crashing down the base from which they ran their campaign of terror.
MailOnline can exclusively reveal that the gang’s top dogs have now found themselves a new base, and it is not in the UK.
Hellbanianz leader Ervin Selita posing in Dubai with three other members, with their faces covered with keffiyehs
The east London-based Hellbanianz gang use social media to boast about their lawless lifestyle on social media. Pictured: Members of the gang drape themselves on luxury cars
In a Hellbanianz music video, masked men cruise around the Gascoigne Estate in an armoured fighting vehicle equipped with a .30 calibre machine gun
The said ‘leader’ of the group, Ervin Selita, known by the nickname ‘Vinz’, is understood to have relocated to Dubai, taking some of his most trusted lieutenants with him.
Having earned large amounts peddling cocaine in the UK, the gang’s leaders can afford to live a life of luxury in Dubai, with its members posting snaps and videos of themselves driving Rolls-Royces and dining with views of the Burj Khalifa.
In one image, the group – who are the street dealers and enforcers of the Albanian mafia Shqiptare – are posing on a buggy in the desert, with all but Selita’s identities covered with the use of a keffiyeh.
In another, Selita and his crony known by the name ‘Diablo’, pose topless with a view of skyscrapers behind them.
Glimpses of their ‘Dubai lifestyle’ have been posted on TikTok through the countless accounts associated with the group and its members.
The glamorous posts are accompanied with captions and hashtags ‘life style like Arab’ and ‘#dubaisettings’. The group have grown a large following of young Albanians on the platform.
It is not known exactly when the group relocated to the Middle East, but it is thought to be towards the latter half of 2023, after Selita was released from prison in Albania.
The Hellbanianz ‘head’, who is in his 30s, was arrested over the attempted murder of a hotel owner in Tirana in February 2022.
The incident kicked off after the receptionist refused to allow Selita and his girlfriend entry into the hotel without an ID card. When hotel owner Zeni Xhindi got involved, Selita pulled out a gun and tried to kill him.
The feared gang leader was released from prison in July 2023 following a Court of Appeal decision which ruled he should ‘maintain contact’ with the probation service.
An expert with knowledge of the Albanian gang told MailOnline that Selita then, after a brief return to the UK, made his move to Dubai.
Selita, nicknamed ‘Vinz’ pictured with fellow Hellbanianz member Diablo in Dubai
‘Vinz’ spent time in jail in Albania for the attempted murder of a hotel owner before moving to Dubai. Pictured: ‘Vinz’ with a view of the Burj Khalifa
The video for ‘Poppin Smoke’ shared on YouTube showed Albanian gangster rappers driving military vehicles fitted with heavy machine guns around a British housing estate
Hellbanianz member known by the nickname ‘OneMilli’ (left) and others posing at a Shell gas station in Barking with the number plate ‘3 Skilla’ – his brother who is in prison
Since moving to the Middle East, Selita and others have performed several gigs in Albania and across Europe to their large follower base. Selita often performs with top Hellbanianz member Stealth – real name Fation Dibra – but it is unclear where he is based.
Meanwhile, some of the group’s other members are serving lengthy sentences in UK jails while others continue to roam the streets of Barking.
Popular members known by the street names ‘Skilla’ and ‘Gucci’ are among those who were put behind bars.
Our source told MailOnline: ‘The head of the Hellbanianz and his trusted soldiers have moved to Dubai. At least five of them are known to be there.
‘Vinz and his top people are living in Dubai while their foot soldiers are serving sentences in the UK.’
Much of the group’s top dogs including Selita originate from the Burrel area of North Albania, and had moved here as asylum seekers with their families at a young age.
The group – whose motto is ‘we are God of the streets’ – was formed as a rap group in 2000 in East London, but formed as a criminal gang in 2002.
Growing up on estates across Barking and Dagenham, the group are not entirely different to the model of other London gangs.
Members of the Hellbanianz at the time were children but very soon adopted a life of crime and became involved in pumping in class A drugs for big Albanian bosses.
In 2011, the notorious gang shocked the capital when a 90-minute knife war broke out in Trafalgar Square with rival Albanian gang OTR- On Top of the Rest. It was said thugs as young as 13 were involved.
‘The group use music as their criminal PR to recruit people, they glorify crime. They are very popular among young Albanians, especially in the north of Albania. They see them driving flashy cars and think we could have that too,’ the source told MailOnline.
Selita originates from the Burrel area of North Albania and moved to the UK with his family as an asylum seeker at a young age of around six
Pictured: Selita with one of his cronies. Accounts across TikTok have shared images of the group in the Middle East
Hellbanianz member Tristan Asllani smirking as he poses for a picture from inside prison
A member of Hellbanianz by a jeep in the safari with his face covered by a scarf
The gang first formed as a rap group in the year 2000 and by 2002 it was formed as a criminal group
Two Hellbanianz members including ‘Gucci’ (left) posing in prison. Both have the group’s logo tattooed on their arm
In 2020, members Azen ‘Ziro’ Dajci, Fabion Kuci – who goes by the street name ‘Gucci’, and Ardi Sheta were sentenced to a combined 15 years in prison for their involvement in an armed robbery.
Another member of the gang, Tristen Asllani, was jailed for 25 years for firearms and drugs offences in June 2016.
The gang are so brazen that they pose for pictures taken inside prison on illegal phones that have been smuggled in.
One popular member ‘Skilla’ – real name Sabajet Shuti – is in prison for the murder of 27-year-old Lumturi Zeqja in Leytonstone.
He had fled the UK but was sentenced to life after being extradited from Sweden.
TikTok is flooded with posts by members and supporters demanding ‘Go Get Skrilla’.
In one video, Skilla writes: ‘Albanian even locked up surrounded by high walls are lions.’
In the background of the video a song plays: ‘We are God of streets. In prison we are having all conditions, only what is missing are prostitutes.’
A writer with expertise of crime groups in the northwest told MailOnline: ‘The move to Dubai would be because they became rich and did well financially from selling cocaine.
‘They can now afford to buy a house in Dubai with the money they have from selling drugs.
‘The more money they have there the better. If you have a house worth more than £400,000 in Dubai you can get access to a ‘golden visa’.
Pictured: Emirlion Shuti, ‘OneMili’, received a 20-month sentence, suspended for two years, for his role in his brother’s murder. He is understood to still be in the Barking area
Members of the Hellbanianz gang from their time in Barking, with Selita second from left
The Hellbanianz logo tattoo – a deer skull. Many members have them inked on their body
A scene from the group’s Poppin Smoke music video where they drove military vehicles onto the Gascoigne Estate
‘So if you buy a villa say over four or five hundred thousand in pounds or euros, you can get a five-year visa there.
‘There’s also the big factor that all the issues they were facing with rival gangs and with the police in the UK disappears as soon as they move.
‘It’s the perfect move to make if they are being looked into by local police, HMRC etc.
‘It is likely their criminal activity will continue but they’ll have their underlings doing the work for them.
‘So the boss moves to Dubai and the middle manager sort of just becomes boss. The boss will say to him “look you will get the promotion and more money but if police come, they’re coming for you now, it’ll be you in the Crown Court”.
‘It’s a natural progression that a lot of gangs do. British drug dealers started moving to Dubai about 12 years ago. A lot of Irish and Russian gangs have gone there too, so the Albanians are just following suit.
‘It just makes sense. They disappear off the radar, and it just makes it harder in terms of extradition.
‘And the underlings who do well get rewarded with trips to Dubai, flights, week at a fancy hotel, elite day passes etc.’
Our source also told of how gangs often move to Dubai to go ‘progress’ in their careers.
He said: ‘There is a community in Dubai of upper tier drug dealers. So if the gang are moving into these upper tier circles and making connections they get access to information on ports, which shipping links they’re using and all sorts.
‘That’s the big boy level.
‘Say they’re operating at a six out of ten level from the UK, in Dubai they’ll go to the next step. If they’re invited to a dinner say with top level dealers, the person will say to them “we’ve got access to these ports, do you want a slice of the pie?”
‘OneMilli’ posed with a masked member. He is wearing a large gold chain which depicts the Gascoigne Estate where the group were based
Another image of the Hellbanianz taken in prison, which circulated on TikTok
Fabion Kuci – who goes by the street name ‘Gucci’ – was sentenced along with two others to a combined 15 years in prison for their involvement in an armed robbery
An image posted on an account under the name of OneMilli with a ‘Go Get Skrilla’ necklace with IG11 – the postcode for the Barking area
‘So it makes sense for them. Dubai is also the dirty money scene. It’s been known for a long time that criminals fly to Dubai with lots of cash and buy gold.
‘It’s also good for setting up businesses. There are certain sectors, like if you were to set up a sector in beauty, they will recruit young women from the UK.
‘It’ll be nail treatments, salons, that sort of thing during the day, and then they’ll also be asked to attend parties at night as eye candy.
‘And that sort of thing can very easily lead to prostitution too.
‘You’ve also got a huge market out there for very blingy cars, so they often tend to set up cleaning or valeting businesses there for supercars.
‘Some people with a bit of technical knowledge will do type replacements, replacing parts for Ferraris and Lambourghinis.
‘The whole sector is linked to drug dealing.’
Skilla’s brother Emirlion Shuti, known by the name ‘OneMili’ also received a 20-month sentence, suspended for two years, for his role in his brother’s murder.
The member is understood to still be hanging about the Barking area, along with other lower-level members.
He, and others, have been seen on TikTok donning large gold chains made in the shape of the Gascoigne Estate with the words ‘Go Get Skrilla’ – a differing spelling also referring to Skilla.
Fans of the gang also comment ‘Free Skilla’ on posts.
In a post as recent as April this year, OneMili and other Hellbanianz members posed at a Shell petrol station in Barking in front of a Mercedes Benz with the number plate ‘3 SKILLA’.
Barking and Dagenham Council said: ‘The regeneration of the Gascoigne Estate has been underway since 2011 through a phased programme that has so far removed 18 high-rise blocks.
‘These blocks were identified as providing poor-quality housing that could not be cost-effectively repaired.
‘The decision to regenerate the estate was based on the condition of the housing stock and the opportunity to deliver better-quality homes and public spaces for residents.
‘The regeneration has enabled the delivery of modern, energy-efficient homes with private outdoor space, alongside new public parks, play areas, and a substantial new secondary school. The layout of the estate has been redesigned to improve visibility and access through public spaces, contributing to a safer environment.
‘We continue to work closely with the Police and other partners to ensure Barking remains a safe and welcoming place for all residents.’
