Saimir Tahiri
‘They’re Police’: Hapless Albanian Drug Couriers and a Minister’s Muscle
Their story, contained in court documents seen by BIRN, speaks to the well-placed connections that grease the wheels of Albanian drug trafficking, connections that in the case of Seferi and Ajdini stretched all the way to the security detail of the country's then interior minister.
Drug deal negotiated under police guard
Albanian Police Arrested in International Anti-Drug Trafficking Raids
A screen from Italian police footage showing drug seizures during the operation.
Among those arrested are both current and former Albanian police officers. SPAK described two of the arrested as officers who "at the time when they carried out their illegal activities in 2016 were members of the staff of the [then] Minister of Interior".
Albania Opposition Condemns Ex-Minister’s Suspended Sentence
The main opposition party in Albania reacted with outrage after the First Instance Court of Serious Crimes in Tirana on Thursday found former interior minister Saimir Tahiri not guilty of charges of international drug trafficking and association with a criminal organization.
Albania Prosecutors Seeks Prison Term for Ex-Interior Minister
Saimir Tahiri. Photo: EPA-EFE/MALTON DIBRA
The trial in Albania of the former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri is approaching the finish line with prosecutors demanding a 12-year sentence for him and Jaeld Çela, a former police officer who is currently on the run.
Albania PM Axes Seven Ministers After Protests
Prime Minister Edi Rama on Friday axed seven of his 14 ministers after a year of popular protests against government policies.
Rama summoned the National Assembly of his governing Socialist Party in Tirana and insisted that the changes were "not the result of failures".
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Albanian Prosecutors Disciplined over Gangland Trial Row
The trial of the notorious alleged underworld figure Emiljano Shullazi is nearing its end, but a lack of a lead prosecutor has prevented the Serious Crime Prosecution Office from delivering its closing arguments for the past seven weeks.
US Ambassador Fears Courts 'Pressured' in Tahiri Case
The US ambassador to Albania Donald Lu warned on Sunday that pressure is high on the judges handling the case of former interior minister Saimir Tahiri - who is expected to appear before the Serious Crime Appeals Court on Monday after being put under house arrest on May 12.
Albania Fires Prosecutor in Ex-Minister's Drugs Case
In a statement released on Wednesday Marku said that his office believes that the sacking of Hajdarmataj "will bring results in fast and effective penal proceedings for cases with a high priority."
Hajdarmataj however told BIRN that he didn't knew the reason for his firing, but he expected to be able to continue to work on Tahiri's case.
Albania Ex-Minister Quits Parliament to Fight Smuggling Claims
Six months after Albania's ruling Socialist Party used its parliamentary majority to block a request for his arrest on suspicion of drug smuggling, Albania's longest-serving Minister of Interior, Saimir Tahiri, on Thursday said he will resign as an MP, losing his immunity from arrest in the process.
Albanian Police Wanted Over Drug-Trafficking Probe Vanish
Albanain police have been unable to locate three police officers suspected of helping traffickers to export several tons of cannabis across the Adriatic, media have reported.