Months ago , EDP24, a respected regional news outlet, reported the arrest of twelve individuals in connection with a major cannabis cultivation and money laundering conspiracy in Norwich. Among the accused was Besnik Ademaj, a name not previously associated with crime, but now firmly embedded in a growing criminal case file.
Careledger UK launched a broader investigation into Ademaj’s business footprint. What we uncovered points to a deeply embedded system of corporate manipulation, proxy ownership, questionable property dealings, and possible connections to organized crime.
A Pattern of Disappearances and Replacements
A close review of Companies House records reveals that Ademaj has been directly tied to over ten companies since 2009. Many of these entities followed a similar pattern: formed, briefly active, then dissolved often without submitting complete financial records. Some companies changed director’s multiple times within short spans. Others were registered to the same or overlapping addresses.
Property Mogul or Financial Middleman?
While Ademaj has long been presented as a property developer, there seems to be something fishy about the true purpose behind many of the companies he’s linked to. Several firms associated with him show limited turnover, irregular filings, and no traceable project output, raising concerns about whether they ever engaged in genuine commercial activity.
Former associates allege that property development was often used as a facade, concealing the true nature of operations. Layered business structures were allegedly used to process funds, acquire real estate through dubious means, and mask financial flows between individuals connected to criminal activities.
Our investigation uncovered several troubling cases of alleged property fraud involving Besnik Ademaj and a close-knit circle of associates. In multiple instances, they reportedly entered into agreements to jointly acquire or renovate properties, only for the deals to sour due to substandard work, strategic delays, and covert financial maneuvers.
One striking example is the Weavers House conversion project, a three-flat redevelopment managed by The BMA Group Ltd, a company directed by Ademaj. According to sources, Ademaj and his associate inflated renovation costs, ultimately overcharging the client by an estimated £1.5 million.
What makes the case more suspicious is the current ownership of the property: Weavers House is now held by Lions Properties (East) Ltd, a company controlled by the same individuals who allegedly orchestrated the overbilling.
Links to Drug Cases and Alleged Property Fraud
Allegedly there seems to be a connection between Ademaj and at least two other ongoing criminal cases in Norfolk. In one instance, a warehouse previously leased under a company linked to Ademaj’s business circle was raided, leading to the discovery of £200,000 in cash and a significant quantity of Class B drugs.
Where Things Stand
Besnik Ademaj, now 50, remains under active investigation, if convicted Ademaj could face substantial prison time and asset forfeiture under the UK’s Proceeds of Crime Act.
Yet even without a verdict, the investigation raises critical questions about how individuals with alleged criminal ties can embed themselves in the financial fabric of local economies, operating in plain sight while building a network that may have little to do with homes and everything to do with laundering dirty money.
