By Lucy Caulkett-
A former reality TV star from Brentwood has disgraced his celebrity status, after being jailed after conspiring to supply a kilogram’s worth of cocaine, wanted to be super rich.
A friend close to Hassini, told The Eye Of Media.Com that the ex star had ambitions to be super rich, and wanted to do it through the fast lane.
”Hassini had big dreams to be super rich, but went about it the wrong way.
He was disappointed with the financial benefits that accompanied his time on television, and felt he needed to be active very quickly to reach his ambitions.
He was never going to be the typical aggressive arrogant drug dealer, and did not look down on others.
It was simply a question of wanting to be rich, then go into investments and have a positive influence on society.
Everything came tumbling down for him too quickly, but Mike is a down to earth guy, and will come back big.
Mike Hassini, 27, who became a personal trainer after being dropped from the ITV show The Only Way is Essex in 2018, was seen by police handing a brown cardboard box containing the high-purity Class A drugs to Gary Bear, 23, on April 16.
The cocaine was found in Bear’s grey Mercedes and £36,495 in cash was discovered in a blue plastic bag in the black Smart car being driven by Hassini, when they were stopped in Hornchurch.
A raid on the home of the parents of Hassini’s girlfriend uncovered another 300g of cocaine, a press and moulds and £1,670 in cash, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.
Hassini pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to supply and possession of criminal cash, and was jailed for 7 years.
Bear, of Hornchurch, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and possessing criminal property after more than £12,000 in cash was found in his family home.
ice.
An unnamed woman also arrested on suspicion of intent to supply a class A drug was eventually released under investigation.
Hassini was a regular on TOWIE from 2015 to 2016, and he also appeared on the show between 2017 and 2018.
Judge Richard Inyundo jailed Hassini for six years and nine months and sentenced Bear to five years and three months imprisonment.
He told them: “You are not the only two young men to find yourselves in difficulty due to the Covid pandemic.
“But many people in far more difficult positions than you did not make the decision to go into criminality and certainly did not make the decision to go into very serious criminality, which frankly both of you made the decision to do with your eyes wide open.”
The judge told Hassini he had played “an important role” in the “organisation which made the arrangements for the supply of large amounts” of drugs.
He said Hassini had put his girlfriend and her family “under suspicion of serious criminal offending”, which had led to her arrest before she was released with no further action taken.
Baz Bhatia QC said Hassini recognised the “hurt and shame” he has brought on his family, including his girlfriend, mother and sister, who were in the public gallery.
“He will be remembered as someone who fell from grace at a very high level and will always be remembered as a drug dealer,” Mr Bhatia added.