After a series of concessions by the authorities, the police have finally arrested Lendi Palaj , known as the main figure behind the "333" and "CR7" betting shops.
Palaj was detained yesterday evening, in silence, after being involved in a gun conflict on June 10 in the Ali Demi area.
In the official announcement, the police only gave initials and got the year of the incident wrong, but reliable sources confirm that it is Njuland Palaj, otherwise known as Lendi.
The case is seen as a serious test for the justice system, faced with a powerful illegal betting structure.
Information indicates that Palaj is using all channels to get out of prison, while justice is expected to show its strength against this criminal network.
Palaj does not appear in the Central Bank of Kosovo with registered companies and is almost invisible in media reports, however, he is considered the "brain" of the premises where sports betting flourishes, despite the legal ban.
Investigations reveal that his rise began during the 2021 electoral campaign, when Palaj was active in collecting votes in Ali Dem in favor of Tom Doshi's PSD. It was there that he built strong connections with key figures in electoral networks, which he then used to organize betting activity in a structured manner.
These venues operate at first glance as cafes or gaming outlets, but in reality they offer illegal betting, with payments in cash or cryptocurrencies, protected by VPNs and centralized platforms.
The premises do not display betting signs or logos, but it is enough to have the right contacts to be included in the system.
In parallel, SPAK and BKH have also launched investigations to trace Tom Doshi's wealth, aiming to uncover the complete network behind Palaj.
This is expected to be one of the most important pieces of evidence for justice to crack down on one of the most sophisticated betting schemes in the country.