A surprise anti-drug operation dubbed “Lightning” led to the discovery of five cannabis cultivation sites in the village of Velë, Lezhë. During the operation, law enforcement officers arrested two people caught in the act and completely destroyed 174 suspected Cannabis Sativa plants.
According to official police information, the operation was the result of several weeks of investigative work, supported by intelligence gathered on the ground regarding the cultivation of narcotic substances both indoors and in open areas.
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Those arrested are M. F., 39, who owned the house in the village of Velë, and A. M., 27, a resident of the Ishull Shëngjin area.
An inspection of the house, which had been converted into a cannabis greenhouse, uncovered a room equipped with 119 narcotic plants grown under special lamps and other supporting equipment. The entire system was supplied with electricity illegally through concealed connections.
Two other areas inside the same building were also found to be in the preparation stage for the same illegal activity. Not far from the house, officers also discovered two open plots where another 55 Cannabis Sativa plants had been planted.
During a thorough search, police seized two hunting rifles, a range of electrical equipment used for cultivation, an amount of suspected narcotic substance, a car and 18 mobile phones.
Police said that during a search of the 27-year-old’s apartment, another 16 mobile phones were found. Investigations are continuing to determine their origin and intended use.
As part of the same investigation, four employees of electricity distribution company OSHEE, including a team leader, meter readers and electricians, have been placed under criminal investigation. They face charges of “Abuse of Office” and “Passive Corruption.”
Meanwhile, efforts are continuing to identify and arrest other people suspected of having been accomplices in this criminal scheme. The full investigation file has been forwarded to the Lezhë Judicial District Prosecutor’s Office for further proceedings.
