The names of those arrested have been revealed as being involved in arms trafficking from Kosovo to Albania.
To be continued...
Names:
Eugenio Manushi, 20 years old
Endri Papa, 34 years old
Aurel Manreka 28 years old
Gersi Llozha 22 years old
Kleu Mucalliu , 26 years old; and
Tonin Shkami, 53 years old.
Announcement from the Tirana Prosecutor's Office:
Kosovo-Albania arms trafficking criminal group dismantled, Tirana Prosecution Office and Kosovo Special Prosecution Office issue 14 arrest warrants, weapons and ammunition seized
The Prosecution Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction, Tirana, in cooperation with the Special Prosecution Office of Kosovo and with the assistance of EUROPOL, dismantled, after over nine months of investigations, a criminal arms trafficking group active in both countries.
The investigations date back to February of this year, where after information collected operationally by the Section for the Investigation of Illegal Trafficking in the Tirana Local Police Directorate on the suspicion that citizen VO, in collaboration with other persons, Albanian and Kosovar citizens, is carrying out the illegal activity of trafficking firearms from Kosovo to Albania as well as trafficking narcotics, mainly cocaine, from Albania to Kosovo, criminal proceedings no. 1167 were registered for the criminal offense of 'Trafficking in weapons and ammunition' committed in collaboration and 'Unlicensed production and possession of combat weapons and ammunition' provided for by articles 278 and 278/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
From the investigations so far, it appears that the suspects were responsible for the supply, transport and sale of weapons or explosive materials, creating a complex import and export route.
Since this group consisted of citizens from Kosovo and Albania, the institutions of the two countries signed in June this year the 'Agreement on the Establishment of a Joint Investigation Team', supported by EUROPOL and the EUROJUST Project for the Western Balkans and between the region and the EU in the fight against organized crime and terrorism. Through this team, Albanian and Kosovar authorities were able to cooperate quickly and easily, exchanging information in real time.
Following the investigations, on 10.12.2024 at around 21:00 and onwards, the Kosovo Police, in the function of joint proceedings, has conducted police operations where, among other things, the following were found and seized: 29 pistols and 3 long guns of various models, 2635 cartridges/ammunition of various models, 2 vehicles and other ICT equipment. Meanwhile, during these operations, 8 people were detained/arrested. Specifically, citizens VO, KK, SH, Sh.J., AH, ZA, AD, and BA
In coordination with the Kosovo Police immediately at around 03.00 on 11.12.2024 under the direction of the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Tirana, in function of this proceeding, an operation was carried out to execute arrest warrants for 6 persons and search of residences for 7 places. During this operation, 6 persons were arrested for the criminal offenses of "Trafficking in weapons and ammunition" committed in collaboration and "Trafficking in weapons and ammunition" committed in collaboration as provided for in Article 278/5/ and 278/a/2 of the Criminal Code: