Portuguese Tourist’s Murder: Owner of “Principotes” in Ksamil, Bekim Bulica, Declared Wanted

Bekim Bulica has been declared wanted by police as part of the investigation into the murder of Portuguese tourist Luis Miguel Varela Mendes in Ksamil. Bulica is listed as the owner of the “Principotes” establishment, where the serious incident occurred, while investigators are identifying those involved in the altercation and examining the actions taken after the murder.

Sokrat Vata, 29, has been arrested for the murder of the 20-year-old. He was captured several hours after the incident on the Levan-Fier road. Vata was found hiding in the trunk of a vehicle and is suspected of attempting to flee the area.

Bulica is believed to be the beneficial owner of the well-known hotel in Ksamil, while official documents list his 72-year-old mother, Kade Bulica, as the owner.

Moisid Matushaj, an investigations specialist at the Gjirokastër Local Border and Migration Directorate, has also been detained as part of the investigation.

Matushaj, who also worked as a security guard in the same group as Vata, is suspected of having been involved in the altercation that preceded the murder and of helping the suspected perpetrator flee the scene.

Meanwhile, Bekim Bulica’s name has previously appeared in investigative files concerning suspected international drug trafficking and money laundering.

According to information previously provided to Albanian institutions by the French authorities, Bulica’s name had been linked to a suspected cocaine distribution network in Paris.

According to the same information, SHISH had previously reported on his activities, while BKH had launched checks into suspected money laundering.

The investigation is now focused on fully establishing the sequence of events surrounding the murder in Ksamil, the roles of those involved, and the actions taken before and after the crime.