The Lezha Court has sentenced three people accused of cultivating narcotic plants in the Kashnjet area to a total of 17 years and 8 months in prison, including the brother of former Socialist Party MP Eduard Ndreca.
Armando Ndreca was found guilty of committing the criminal offenses of "Cultivation of narcotic plants" and "Theft of electricity or telephone impulses" and was sentenced to four years and four months in prison. While for the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics", the panel, headed by Judge Lirim Bulica, declared him not guilty.
Likewise, the other two people involved in this activity, Elvis Shpellzaj and Armel Nikdukaj, were sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison each for the criminal offenses of "Cultivation of narcotic plants", "Production and sale of narcotics", and "Theft of electricity or telephone impulses".
The three people benefited from the summary trial and the consolidating of their sentences. They were arrested by the Lezha Police in April 2024, after, in collaboration with each other, they had adapted a drug cultivation facility.
From this environment, 2,973 narcotic plants were seized (some of them seedlings ready to be cultivated in the ground), a quantity of the narcotic substance cannabis sativa, 50 lamps, ventilation equipment, other items that served this criminal activity, as well as 3 mobile phones.
The crackdown on this case of cultivation of narcotic plants came after information obtained operationally by the Lezha Police, under the direction of the Lezha Prosecutor's Office, which finalized the operation.
Lezha court decision
The trial panel for the trial of criminal case no. 332 of 2024, headed by judge Lirim Bulica, and with members judges Irma Cacaj and Eglantina Biba, decided that Elvis Shpellzaj should be sentenced to 6 years in prison.
(six) years and 8 (eight) months of imprisonment, Armel Nikdukaj with 6 (six) years and 8 (eight) months of imprisonment and Armando Ndreca with 4 (four) years and 4 (four) months of imprisonment.
The guilty plea of the defendant Elvis Shpellzaj for committing the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics", provided for by Article 283, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 7 (seven) years of imprisonment.
The guilty plea of the defendant Elvis Shpellzaj for committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants", provided for by Article 284, paragraph 2 of the Penal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 6 (six) years of imprisonment.
The guilty plea of the defendant Elvis Shpellzaj for committing the criminal offense of "Theft of electricity or telephone impulses", provided for by Article 137, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 1 (one) year in prison.
In application of Article 55 of the Criminal Code, in determining a single sentence for several criminal offenses, the defendant Elvis Shpellzaj is sentenced to a single sentence of 10 (ten) years of imprisonment.
Pursuant to Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1/3 of the sentence is deducted, definitively sentencing the defendant Elvis Shpellzaj to 6 (six) years and 8 (eight) months of imprisonment.
The sentence shall begin to be served from the date of his arrest in flagrante delicto, and the unserved portion of the sentence shall be served in a normal security prison.
The guilty plea of the defendant Armel Nidukaj for committing the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics", provided for by Article 283, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 7 (seven) years of imprisonment.
The guilty plea of the defendant Armel Nidukaj for committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants", provided for by Article 284, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 6 (six) years of imprisonment.
The guilty plea of the defendant Armel Nikdukaj for committing the criminal offense of "Theft of electricity or telephone impulses", provided for by Article 137, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 1 (one) year of imprisonment.
In application of Article 55 of the Criminal Code, in determining a single sentence for several criminal offenses, the defendant Armel Nikdukaj is sentenced to a single sentence of 10 (ten) years of imprisonment.
Pursuant to Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1/3 of the sentence is deducted, definitively sentencing the defendant Armel Nikdukaj to 6 (six) years and 8 (eight) months of imprisonment.
The guilty plea of the defendant Armando Ndreca for committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants", provided for by Article 284, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 6 (six) years of imprisonment.
The guilty plea of the defendant Armando Ndreca for committing the criminal offense of "Theft of electricity or telephone impulses", provided for by article 137, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 1 (one) year of imprisonment.
The not guilty plea of the defendant Armando Ndreca for committing the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics", provided for by article 283, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code.
In application of Article 55 of the Criminal Code, in determining a single sentence for several criminal offenses, the defendant Armando Ndreca is sentenced to a single sentence of 6 (six) years and 6 (six) months of imprisonment.
Pursuant to Article 406/1 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1/3 of the sentence is deducted, definitively sentencing the defendant Armando Ndreca to 4 (four) years and 4 (four) months of imprisonment.
The sentence shall begin to be served from the date of the imposition of the preventive measure of detention in prison, and the unserved part of the sentence shall be served in a normal security prison.
Based on Article 190 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the seized narcotics shall be destroyed.
Procedural expenses during preliminary investigations and court proceedings prepaid by the state are borne jointly by the defendants.