He is suspected of having trafficked large amounts of drugs within the framework of a powerful organization operating in the country across the Adriatic and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. His name has long been filed in the files of the Italian police, as the Antimafia has been eavesdropping on people involved in criminal activity for a long time. Earlier, Arben Isufaj has 'won' a confrontation with the Albanian courts, as he was suspected of premeditated murder, but was released due to lack of evidence.
Businessman Isufaj, along with two of his friends, was traveling towards Fier in an armored car when the special forces of the State Police and the Fier FNSH ambushed them and handcuffed them. State Police officials told "GSH" that Isufaj turned out to be an internationally wanted person, having been sentenced to 30 years in prison for drug trafficking in Italy and participation in a criminal organization.
At the moment of arrest, Isufaj did not put up any resistance, but calmly followed the numerous special forces. He was taken to the premises of the Fier police station, where he stayed for only a few minutes. Then, under super strict security measures, he was transferred to the premises of the Tirana Police Directorate, where he will remain at least until the court decides on his fate. The Italian authorities are expected to submit an extradition request for the Fier strongman within 40 days, who, if handed over to the neighboring country, will have to spend many years of his life behind bars.
Described as the strongman of Fier, he had earlier a long confrontation with Albanian justice, where he was able to challenge the prosecution. He was suspected of murdering Piro Koçi on August 12, 2002, in a building on "Him Kolli" street in Tirana.
The file states that Koçiu ran down the stairs of the palace and was stopped by a person in his yard. At this moment, Koçiu fell and was kicked and punched by two people, one of whom shot him in the head at close range with a pistol, killing him on the spot. In a dead end alley leading to "Myslim Shyri" street in Tirana, two firearms were found, one a 'Zastava' pistol and the other a 'Mauser', which are suspected of being used in the murder of Koçiu.
Suspicion of the murder fell on Arben Isufaj, after a partial fingerprint found on a pistol comb was found to have been left by the defendant. Since the experts came to different conclusions regarding the most important evidence that decided Isufaj's fate, the prosecutor's office decided to stop investigating him. On October 1, 2007, investigations against Ben Qimja, known as Ben Qimja, were opened and he was charged with "premeditated murder", in collaboration.
The suspect asked for the dismissal of the case, claiming that the acts of the prosecution were absolutely invalid. The request of the defendant Arben Isufaj was accepted by the Tirana Court, which decided to dismiss the criminal case against him and release the businessman from the cells./Gazeta Shqiptare/
