I was talking to my mother on the phone / He earned millions from AKSHI tenders, what Ermal Beqiri declared to French authorities after his arrest

Ermal Beqiri, wanted for the National Agency of Information Society (AKSHI) affair, has been arrested in the city of Amiens, France. The 44-year-old was initially spotted by the French Air and Space Force while flying a light aircraft over the Penly nuclear power plant.

He was escorted by French air forces to Albert airport, where he was detained by police for questioning. French media reported that at the time of his detention, the Albanian pilot was found with three AirTags.

During questioning, the Albanian pilot stated that the decrease in altitude was unintentional because at that moment he was talking to his mother on the phone.

But his answers aroused police suspicions, and for this reason, after communicating with the Albanian side, his arrest was ordered because it turned out he was the wanted man Ermal Beqiri.

According to the State Police, which reacted on Tuesday evening with an official statement, Beqiri has been placed in pre-trial detention and is expected to appear before the Amiens Criminal Court this Wednesday, where the international arrest warrant against him will be officially communicated, as part of the extradition proceedings to Albania.

Ermal Beqiri is accused of the criminal offenses “Unlawful deprivation of liberty,” “Illegal competition through violence,” committed in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, “Violation of equality of participants in tenders or public auctions,” “Structured criminal group,” “Committing criminal offenses by a criminal organization and structured criminal group,” as well as “Laundering of the proceeds of crime.” Ermal Beqiri is accused of cooperating with Ergys Agasi to create a structured criminal group within AKSHI and ordering the kidnapping of businessmen, forcing them under threat to withdraw from tenders.

Beqiri’s companies are suspected of having won tenders worth millions of euros. Former director Mirlinda Karcanaj, former deputy director Hava Delibashi, several businessmen and police officials are under investigation for the AKSHI affair.