The Shkodra Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Mirel Çokaj, whose body was found on September 18, 2025, in a ravine in the mountainous area of Kelmendi, in Malesia e Madhe. Initially, the event was considered accidental, but the family's suspicions led to the case being reopened.
Sources from the prosecution indicate that the request to reopen the investigation was filed by Rifat Çokaj, the victim's cousin and former police officer, currently residing in the US. He has requested a reexamination of the evidence due to inconsistencies found in the initial report.
According to family testimony, Mirel Çokaj was suspected of being involved in illegal cannabis cultivation and was in a plot of narcotic plants shortly before his death. In that plot, which is located about an hour away from where the body was found, the police destroyed 780 cannabis sativa plants.
Family members suspect that a dispute over profit sharing among potential accomplices may have led to the murder, suggesting that Çokaj may have been pushed into the abyss. They also express suspicions about the disappearance of his phone, which they say was deleted or eliminated to hide important evidence.
Another unusual point, according to the family, is the route followed by the 40-year-old on the day of the incident, different from the route he usually used, despite having planned to return to the apartment two days later.
The prosecution has questioned the victim's relatives and people who were aware of his possible drug activity. Investigations continue into a possible murder disguised as an accident.
