Photo: sentenced to 50 years in prison for three murders in Shkodër, Valentin Ftoni arrested in New York after 25 years on the run

After 25 years on the international wanted list, 52-year-old Valentin Ftoni has been located and arrested in New York, as part of a joint operation between the State Police and U.S. federal law enforcement agencies.

The Criminal Police Department within the State Police, through the Directorate for Serious Crimes and the Joint Investigative Services Unit, in cooperation with the U.S. federal agency DSS/OCIU, present at the United States Embassy in Albania, has continuously coordinated actions with two other U.S. federal agencies, the USMS (United States Marshals Service) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), to locate and apprehend citizen Valentin Ftoni.

After lengthy investigative work and coordination of actions between the State Police and the three U.S. federal agencies, it became possible to identify and locate in the United States this citizen who had been declared internationally wanted.

This citizen had been declared wanted by Albanian authorities since 2001, after being sentenced twice to 25 years in prison each for three murders committed in the Shkodër region.

Investigations suggest that after leaving Albania, citizen Valentin Ftoni used suspected forged documents and at least two false identities to enter U.S. territory illegally.

It is also suspected that in this country he used another false identity, obtained from a Central American country.

On 28.09.2001, the Shkodër District Court declared citizen Valentin Ftoni guilty and sentenced him to 25 years in prison for the criminal offenses of “Premeditated murder,” committed in collaboration, and “Unauthorized possession and production of weapons, explosive weapons and ammunition,” after on 19.09.2000, in Ças, Velipojë, he killed citizens Gj. M. and A. M. for blood feud motives.

Also, on 18.11.2008, the Shkodër District Court declared citizen Valentin Ftoni guilty and sentenced him to 25 years in prison for the criminal offenses of “Premeditated murder” and “Unauthorized possession and production of weapons, explosive weapons and ammunition,” after on 12.08.2001 he killed citizen G. T.

The State Police continues intensive work, in coordination with U.S. law enforcement agencies, to complete his extradition procedures to Albania, in order to face Albanian justice for the criminal offenses for which he has been convicted.

This case once again demonstrates the State Police’s commitment to strengthening international investigative cooperation and coordinating actions with strategic partners in the fight against crime.

The State Police expresses gratitude to its partners at the United States Embassy in Albania and U.S. law enforcement agencies for their continued cooperation in this case and in other joint operations.