SPAK has completed the investigations and sent to the Special Court of First Instance the criminal proceedings against a structured criminal group, involved in international cocaine trafficking and other criminal activities.
The defendants are Aldi Zonja, Artjon Çaushllari (alias Gjika), Ismajl Abdurrahmani, Jose Ramon Zacarias Vasquez, Geis Sejfullai, Klajd Birçe, Hiwlenn Ledezma Narvaez, Samuel Alfonso Moreno Serrano, Endi Sejdini, Baki Huqi.
This group is accused of creating and participating in an international criminal network, which collaborated with criminal organizations in Latin America to import the narcotic cocaine to Albania and European Union countries.
SPAK announcement:
SPAK sends 10 people accused of international cocaine trafficking and a structured criminal group to trial
The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime completed the investigations and sent to the Special Court of First Instance, criminal proceedings 141/1 of 2023 against a group of persons accused of international drug trafficking, production and sale of narcotics, and creation and participation in a structured criminal group.
Within the framework of this proceeding, a total of 11 people, Albanian and foreign citizens, have been charged, who are accused of having acted in the form of a well-organized criminal network, with international reach, collaborating with criminal organizations in Latin America to import the narcotic substance cocaine to Albania and European Union countries.
The defendants are:
Aldi Zonja, Artjon Çaushllari (alias Gjika), Ismajl Abdurrahmani, Jose Ramon Zacarias Vasquez, and Geis Sejfullai, charged with the following criminal offenses:
"Drug trafficking", committed in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by Articles 283/a/1 and 28 point 4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with Article 334/1 of the Criminal Code "Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group",
"Structured criminal group", committed in the form of direction provided for by Article 333/a/1 of the Criminal Code.
Klajd Birçe, Hiwlenn Ledezma Narvaez, Samuel Alfonso Moreno Serrano and Endi Sejdini, accused of the following criminal offenses:
"Drug trafficking", committed in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/a/1 and 28 point 4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with article 334/1 of the Criminal Code "Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group",
"Structured criminal group", committed in the form of participation provided for by Article 333/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
Artjon Çaushllari (alias Gjika), accused of the following criminal offenses:
"Production and sale of narcotics", carried out in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/1 and 28 point 4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with article 334/1 of the Criminal Code, "Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group", on 7.2.2024-8.2.2024, (in the premises of the apartment used by the defendant, Baki Huqi, as well as in the bar, Bar "Tahiti", owned by the defendant, Baki Huqi, located in the village of Manzë, Durrës).
"Structured criminal group", committed in the form of leadership provided for by Article 333/a/1 of the Criminal Code.
Klajd Birçe, Hiwlenn Ledezma Narvarez and Baki Huqi, accused of the following criminal offenses:
"Production and sale of narcotics", carried out in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/1 and 28 point 4, in connection with article 334/1 of the Criminal Code "Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group", on 7.2.2024-8.2.2024, (in the premises of the apartment used by the suspect Baki Huqi, as well as the "Tahiti" Bar, owned by the suspect Baki Huqi, located in the village of Manzë, Durrës).
"Structured criminal group", committed in the form of participation provided for by Article 333/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
Geis Sejfullai, accused of the criminal offense:
"Unauthorized production, possession, purchase or sale of cold weapons" provided for in Article 279, paragraph 2, of the Criminal Code.
According to the acts administered for criminal proceedings 141/1 of 2023, it has been proven that the defendants and their associates have prepared the necessary conditions and infrastructure for the importation from the Dominican Republic of two shipments of "cattle hides", inside which 90 kg of cocaine with a market value of 3.6 million euros were found hidden. The shipments arrived at the Port of Durrës in July and November 2024 and were stored in several premises in the Mulleti area, Tirana.
The investigations concluded that other persons who participated in these episodes are also involved in this illegal criminal activity. Consequently, the division of criminal proceedings no. 141/1 of 2023 into a new criminal proceeding, 141/1/1, without a perpetrator, and the continuation of the investigations for the following criminal offenses: “Trafficking in narcotics” committed in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/a and 28/4 of the Criminal Code; “Production and sale of narcotics”, carried out in a special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/2 and 28 point 4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with article 334/1 of the Criminal Code, “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”, “Structured criminal group” provided for by article 333/a of the Criminal Code, as well as “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”, provided for by article 334/1 of the Criminal Code.
This intensive investigation was led by the Special Prosecution Office and BKH investigators, who used a variety of special investigative techniques. Close cooperation with domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies was essential to advancing this important operation against international drug trafficking.
Criminal proceeding No. 141/1 of 2023, derives from the acts of criminal proceeding no. 141 of 2022 of this prosecution, registered in charge of 11 defendants accused of the criminal offenses; “Drug trafficking”, “Structured criminal group”, “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”. These defendants have been accused respectively as organizers, financiers and participants in this criminal group, in connection with the importation from Colombia to Albania of a cargo of “artificial organic fertilizer”, and from the extraction of this cargo, a quantity of 485.5 kg, of cocaine-type narcotics, would be obtained.
Through criminal decision no. 39, dated 25.6.2024 of the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime, the defendants were found guilty and sentenced by the Court, according to the respective charges, a decision which was left in force by decision no. 58, dated 30.12.2024 of the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime, while the trial against a Colombian citizen is still ongoing.
