Four Glock Pistols Found in Vehicle, Man Arrested in Sarandë Says: “They Told Me They Were Toys

Four pistols suspected of being transported to Sarandë were seized during a police operation carried out two weeks ago. The operation took place in the Skërfica Tunnel, along the Kardhiq-Delvinë road, and ended with the arrest of 31-year-old Kejdi Banaj. In his statement, he also implicated 26-year-old E. S. from Tirana, who has been wanted since March of this year on a similar charge.

According to the investigation file, police had obtained information that several firearms were hidden in a vehicle rented by Kejdi Banaj. It was suspected that the car would later be loaded onto a tow truck he was using and transported to Sarandë. Operational intelligence also indicated that he might pick up around 500 grams of cocaine in Lushnje, which would be taken to Sarandë and sold in small doses. The person in possession of the narcotics was believed to be from Lushnje and remained unidentified, while he was expected to follow Banaj in another car as far as Sarandë.

After following the vehicle, police stopped it at a location known as the “Skërfica Tunnel” at 16:15. The vehicle was being driven by Kejdi Bana. During the search, officers found a black plastic bag in the rear of the vehicle, beneath the upholstery on the right-hand passenger side. Inside were four firearms, all Glock pistols.

Banaj cooperated with police, providing the passcode to his mobile phone and identifying the other people involved. He said that he lives in Tirana and runs a real estate office in the Astir area. According to his account, on 14.07.2026, at around 13:00, a person named E., whose surname he could not remember, had gone to his business. He identified him as the son of “M…,” who lives on “Kavaja Street.”

Because Banaj was not at the office, E. had met his father and obtained his phone number. He then called Banaj and went to his home with his wife and daughter. Banaj said their communications could be checked on his personal phone, which had the passcode 2580. E. had asked him to arrange an apartment and a rental car in Sarandë. They then set off in a vehicle for the coastal city, together with E.’s brother-in-law, whose name Banaj said he did not know.

On 15.07.2026, at approximately 08:00, E. had suggested that they go to Tirana to pick something up, offering Banaj 150 euros to act as the driver. He had left his car with another person and taken a Citroen with license plates AB 302 SF, without knowing where it had been obtained. After arriving in Tirana, they stopped near “Hotel I….” on the highway in the Qafa e Kasharit area. E. and his brother-in-law got out, retrieved a black bag from some bushes and, upon returning, placed it in the back of the car, on the floor behind the seat. They then asked Banaj to continue toward Sarandë.

E. had taken a gray Skoda that had been left for him at that location. Banaj stated that he knew there were illegal items and weapons in the car, but had thought they were toys.

At the hearing to determine his security measure, the 31-year-old provided further details. He said that he had been a drug user for years and did not understand how the incident had happened. According to him, other people had picked him up at home and taken him to that location, while he had been unaware of what was happening. Banaj said that he had not been aware of the specific circumstances and was still not clear-headed, but insisted that he had told the whole truth.

He stated that he had picked up E. S., whom he had known for 20 years. According to Banaj, E. had suggested that they go to Sarandë, find a house and spend a few days on holiday at the beach. E. was accompanied by his wife and child, while the two men had not seen each other for a long time. They had dropped E.’s wife off in Elbasan and then continued toward Tirana. There, E. picked up a package and placed it in Banaj’s car before leaving in another vehicle.

Banaj said that police stopped him along the way, while E., who was driving ahead of him, fled. He claimed that he only realized what he was transporting when he was caught. According to his statement, the black bag left in his vehicle had been picked up in Tirana by E. and the latter’s brother-in-law, while Banaj did not know what was inside. He added that he had unexpectedly met E. after they had not seen each other for four years; E. had initially looked for him at his father’s office, obtained his phone number from him and then met with Banaj.

The court ordered Kejdi Banaj to be held in pretrial detention. Meanwhile, it is not known whether the people suspected of being his accomplices have been declared wanted.