What stood out from the clash between the groups of Zani and Gaxhai were the political connections. The head of the Çola gang turned into a media personality as he gave interviews and openly threatened the president of the time, Sali Berisha, with a gun in his hand. Meanwhile, Zan's rival groups were known for their closeness to the other wing of politics.
For the sake of truth and the investigation itself was based on the results of the investigative commission, the Ngjela commission at that time, but to say that there was political interference is clear that the interference was clear for these two gangs, more precisely, politics used them for control and its demagoguery in Vlora' said Eugen Beci, former prosecutor
'The other problem in Vlora was the interference of the secret services of the neighboring countries, which according to their interest, makes their movement. The fact that in 1997, at the beginning of the riots, characters who were in Greek prisons and serious crimes appeared, we suddenly saw them in the events in Vlora,' said journalist Artan Hoxha.
"The explosion of the revolts of 97 and the involvement of criminal groups has had a lot of light and shadow, I am talking about the groups that were released from Greek prisons, in one way or another still unverified, they were armed in Greece, even with military camouflage, the majority of them Greek" he said professor of criminology, Ervin Karamuço
The head of the Çola gang has remained in memory as he appeared as the bodyguard of the then Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. He had arrived in Vlora after the Otranto tragedy. It is not known how Zani appeared next to the Italian prime minister's spear. What is known is that the controversial bandit was often presented as a defender of the rescue committee that was created at that time. He often called himself the Robin Hood of his time. He gave this title to himself as he often distributed food to poor families, which were stolen from markets or bought with the money from fines.
At first they were together, unknown details of the war between Gaxhai and Zani
Until the riots broke out, Gaxhai and Zani not only had no enmity, but were friends among themselves. Even the apartment of Viktor Ymer, known as one of Gaxhai's closest people, was a few meters away from Zani's in the Çole neighborhood. "Tori i Jihane" as Ymer is known in the dark world, was the connecting bridge. He was released from prison in 2019, but was handcuffed again under the charge of participating in the murder of businessman Vajdin Lame in 2005.
The important thing is that from this investigation we realized that both gangs, at the first moment of the riots in 1997, were together, it was a gang that had itself and the members of the gang of Gaxhai and Zani, after 1 or 2 months they separated because of the conflicts between them and they became fierce enemies' said Eugen Beci, former prosecutor
The event that ignited the real war between Zan and Gaxhai was the event at the end of April 1997 where the Çola gang executed Bernard Duçka, known by the nickname "Red". The first sparks actually started on March 20 with the execution of Bashkim Dules by Gaxhai's group, where Kuqoja had also actively participated in the crime. 2 years later, another member of the Dule family was killed, citizen Edmond Dule, known as a friend of Zani Caushi.
Between the Gang of Gaxhai and that of Zani, the conflicts increased from the end of April 1997 onwards, especially when the Gang of Zani was killed and then burned Bernard Ducka, a member of the group where the defendants Gazmir Braka, Edmond Leskaj, Gazmend Nebiu and others already killed.
As noted in the investigative materials, hostage-taking, tying up victims with wires and torture were characteristic of both rival groups.
The event that led to Kuqo's murder was his intervention to free two people who had been taken hostage by Zani's group for extortion. It is about Artur Gjoshin from Tepelena and his cousin Pëllumb Petritaj.
"My son Benard Ducka on May 3, 1997 at around 20.00, went to take the money for the release of the 2 hostages that Myrteza Çaushi's gang had taken, to the former Party school in the cold water. He took the money to the leader of the gang. They killed him and burned him."
Ex-prosecutor: Exponents of the gangs of Gaxhai and Zani drug trafficking from prison
The history of the gangs of Zani and Gaxhai began to die out when the leaders of the groups, respectively Myrteza Caushi and Gazmir Brakaj, were arrested. The latter was very close to realizing an escape worthy of Hollywood films. External collaborators had opened an underground tunnel on "Mine Peza" street. The tunnel was opened by a flower shop on the other side of the road and in a few meters they reached Gaxhai's cell. The attempt was discovered when the plan was nearing completion.
On the other hand, Zani Caushi has tried to escape prison by following the path of legal complaints, just like many other strong people who have overturned life imprisonment, but he did not succeed. At least until now. Inside the cell, he continued his life.
"From the gang of Zani and from Gaxhai, there have been characters in prison, sentenced to life imprisonment, they have tried to create traffic networks, often while realizing this goal, the traffic," said Eugen Beci.