Belgian authorities have carried out a major operation against an Albanian group suspected of international cocaine trafficking.

Eight people have been arrested, while four others have been placed under house arrest. Among those detained is 52-year-old Gerd Gjinarari, known by the nickname “The General.”

The investigation began around a year ago, when Belgian police received information that an apartment in Berchem, Antwerp, might be used to conceal large quantities of cocaine.

Investigators focused on a 48-year-old man suspected of acting as an intermediary between Albanian criminal groups and Latin American networks.

According to the authorities, the 48-year-old organized the transport of the drugs, the removal of shipments from the Port of Antwerp, and their distribution.

He is also suspected of finding the people needed to carry out the trafficking, including security personnel, and of directing the groups that collected the cocaine shipments at the port.

During earlier stages of the investigation, police seized two cocaine shipments weighing 46 and 53 kilograms. In the latest searches, carried out in Berchem, Deurne, Kapellen and various areas of Brussels, hidden weapons and ammunition, bulletproof vests, signal-jamming devices, cash and money-counting machines were discovered.

Among the seized materials were forged passports and press cards. Investigators also found presses and molds that were allegedly used to shape cocaine blocks.

Gerd Gjinarari, 52, known as “The General,” had previously been identified by the Belgian authorities. In June, he was arrested by the Federal Police FAST team after the Italian authorities had issued an international wanted notice for him over a murder committed in 1997. The circumstances of his release following that arrest have not yet been disclosed.

Several months after his first arrest, Gjinarari has been detained again, this time as part of the Belgian investigation into international cocaine trafficking.

Italian authorities suspect that in 1997 he killed a rival in a hospital in Milan, using a pistol hidden in a bouquet of flowers. At the time of his June arrest, proceedings for his extradition to Italy were still underway. Now, in addition to the Italian case, he also faces a new investigation in Belgium related to suspicions of cocaine trafficking.

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A substantial quantity of drugs, suspected of being destined for Durrës, was seized during the police operation codenamed “Direction,” while two people were arrested.

According to preliminary reports, those arrested are 51-year-old Mirland Herri and 41-year-old Lutfi Hoxha.

During the operation, police spotted a “Benz” vehicle suspected of being used to transport narcotics. A search of the car uncovered a bag containing seven packages: four of heroin and three of cocaine.

Initial police data showed that the total quantity seized was 5 kilograms and 244 grams of heroin and cocaine.

The Director of the Tirana Local Police Directorate, in his statement on the operation, thanked media representatives for attending on a day off and for their proper cooperation in informing citizens about the results of Tirana Police’s local structures.

He stressed that Tirana Police’s local structures remain fully committed to preventing criminal incidents, detecting and cracking down on illegal activities, apprehending wanted persons and individuals carrying firearms or attempting to traffic them. According to him, efforts have also focused on combating drug trafficking and continuously monitoring conflicts and citizens’ reports.

In this context, at midday today, the Narcotics Investigation Section of the Tirana Local Police Directorate, following operational work, organized and concluded Operation “Direction.” Through this action, an attempt to traffic a substantial quantity of hard drugs was disrupted and prevented.

Police announced that during the operation, 51-year-old Mirand Herri, a resident of Maminas, Durrës, and 41-year-old Luftim Hoxha, born in Dibër and residing in Maminas, Durrës, were caught and arrested in flagrante.

Operational information obtained by the Narcotics Investigation Section indicated that the two individuals would take a large quantity of narcotics to the “Treshi” area, near Nishtulla 3, while travelling towards Durrës.

Based on this information, the police operation “Direction” was organized within a very short time and concluded with the intervention of police services.

On “Kastriotët” Street, officers identified a “Mercedes-Benz” vehicle carrying the two suspects and the drugs. Officers from the Narcotics Investigation Section intervened and stopped the car.

During a search of the vehicle’s interior, police found a bag containing seven packages of suspected narcotics.

Of these, four packages contained heroin weighing 2 kilograms and 123.6 grams, while the other three packages contained suspected cocaine, with a total weight of 3 kilograms and 120.6 grams.

In total, 5 kilograms and 244.2 grams of heroin and cocaine were seized.

The two detainees were immediately taken to the Tirana Local Police Directorate for further procedures. Investigative actions showed that they intended to transport the narcotics to Durrës.

Investigations are continuing in coordination with the Prosecutor’s Office to identify other people involved in this criminal activity. Due to the ongoing investigation, police said they could not release further details about the operation.

Operation “Direction” is part of a series of operations by Tirana Police’s local structures against the sale and trafficking of narcotics. Just one week ago, two people were caught with 250 grams of cocaine, while over the past two weeks several operations have been completed to detain wanted individuals considered dangerous and people carrying weapons, including foreign nationals.

The Director of the Tirana Local Police Directorate also addressed a case considered highly sensitive, involving a confrontation with bladed weapons among around 28 minors aged between 13 and 17.

Thanks to the timely gathering of information and the full commitment of Police Station No. 6, Operational Forces and the “Eagles” of the Tirana Local Police Directorate, checks were carried out for around 72 hours. Through the Cybercrime Investigation structures of the Tirana Local Police Directorate, social networks were monitored, while data collected by field services was also used. As a result, the minors were identified and an incident that could have had fatal consequences for their lives was prevented.

The director thanked all police services for the professionalism shown in preventing the conflict.

At the same time, he called on parents to cooperate with Police inspectors in the areas where they live and with General Patrols on the ground, reporting any suspicious situation they notice involving their children. According to him, this cooperation enables timely intervention and prevents incidents that put lives at risk.

In a message to citizens, it was stressed that the Tirana Local Police Directorate remains fully committed and has all the necessary capabilities to guarantee order and security and combat all forms of illegality.

However, the director underlined that without citizens’ help, this sacred mission would remain incomplete, and urged them to promptly report every case of illegality to police structures or by calling 112.

In conclusion, he called for greater support and trust in the Police, so that together an even safer environment can be ensured, thanking citizens.

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A significant quantity of drugs, suspected of being transported to Durrës, was seized during the police operation codenamed “Direction,” while two people were arrested.

According to preliminary reports, those arrested are Mirland Herri, 51, and Lutfi Hoxha, 41.

During the operation, police spotted a “Benz” vehicle suspected of being used to transport narcotics. A search of the car uncovered a bag containing 7 packages, specifically 4 containing heroin and 3 containing cocaine.

Initial police information showed that the total amount seized was 5 kilograms and 244 grams of heroin and cocaine.

In his statement about the operation, the director of the Tirana Local Police Directorate thanked media representatives for attending on a day off and for their proper cooperation in informing the public about the results achieved by Tirana’s local police structures.

He stressed that Tirana’s local police structures remain fully committed to preventing criminal incidents, detecting and cracking down on illegal activities, apprehending wanted persons and individuals carrying firearms or attempting to traffic them. According to him, efforts have also focused on combating drug trafficking and continuously following up on conflicts and reports filed by citizens.

In this context, at midday today, the Narcotics Investigation Section at the Tirana Local Police Directorate organized and concluded the “Direction” operation following operational work. The operation disrupted and prevented an attempt to traffic a significant quantity of hard drugs.

Police announced that Mirand Herri, 51, a resident of Maminas, Durrës, and Luftim Hoxha, 41, born in Dibër and residing in Maminas, Durrës, were caught and arrested in the act during the operation.

Operational intelligence obtained by the Narcotics Investigation Section indicated that the two individuals would deliver a large quantity of narcotics to the “Treshi” area, near Nishtulla 3, while traveling toward Durrës.

Based on this information, the “Direction” police operation was organized within a very short time and concluded with the intervention of police units.

On “Kastriotët” Street, officers identified a “Mercedes-Benz” vehicle carrying the two suspects and the drugs. Officers from the Narcotics Investigation Section intervened and stopped the car.

During a search of the vehicle’s interior, police found a bag containing 7 packages of suspected narcotics.

Of these, 4 packages contained 2 kilograms and 123.6 grams of heroin, while the other 3 packages contained suspected cocaine with a total weight of 3 kilograms and 120.6 grams.

A total of 5 kilograms and 244.2 grams of heroin and cocaine was seized.

The two detainees were immediately taken to the Tirana Local Police Directorate for further procedures. Investigative actions determined that they intended to transport the narcotics to Durrës.

Investigations are continuing in coordination with the Prosecutor’s Office to identify other individuals involved in this criminal activity. Due to the ongoing investigation, police said they could not release further details about the operation.

The “Direction” operation is part of a series of operations carried out by Tirana’s local police structures against the sale and trafficking of narcotics. Just one week earlier, two people were caught with 250 grams of cocaine, while several operations have been concluded over the past two weeks to apprehend dangerous wanted persons and armed individuals, including foreign nationals.

The director of the Tirana Local Police Directorate also addressed a case considered highly sensitive, involving a confrontation with bladed weapons among around 28 minors between the ages of 13 and 17.

Thanks to the timely gathering of information and the full commitment of Police Station No. 6, the Operational Forces and the “Eagles” units of the Tirana Local Police Directorate, checks were conducted over approximately 72 hours. Social media networks were monitored by the Cybercrime Investigation structures at the Tirana Local Police Directorate, while information obtained by officers in the field was also used. As a result, the minors were identified and an incident that could have had fatal consequences for their lives was prevented.

The director thanked all police units for the professionalism they demonstrated in preventing the conflict.

At the same time, he called on parents to cooperate with police inspectors in the areas where they live and with General Patrol officers in the field by reporting any suspicious situation they notice involving their children. According to him, such cooperation enables timely intervention and helps prevent incidents that endanger lives.

In the message addressed to citizens, it was emphasized that the Tirana Local Police Directorate remains fully committed and has all the necessary resources to guarantee public order and safety and combat all forms of lawlessness.

However, the director stressed that without the public’s help, this sacred mission would remain incomplete, and he therefore urged citizens to promptly report any illegal activity to police structures or by calling 112.

In conclusion, he called for greater support for and trust in the Police so that, together, an even safer environment can be guaranteed, and thanked citizens.

The post Operation “Direction”/ More Than 5 kg of Heroin and Cocaine Bound for Durrës Seized, Two Arrested appeared first on Albeu.com.

The Basic Court in Pristina has found that Izet Sheqiri, Faton Vrajolli, Kadri Sheqiri, Kadri Brahimi and Fehmi Bytyqi acted as members of an organized criminal group that sought to traffic cocaine from Brazil to Kosovo.

On March 19, 2026, the court sentenced the owner of the company “MC FOOD,” Izet Sheqiri, together with Faton Vrajolli, Kadri Sheqiri, Kadri Brahimi and Fehmi Bytyqi, to a combined total of 75 years in prison and fines totaling 108,000 euros. The full judgment in the case was issued on May 18, 2026, “Betimi për Drejtësi” reports.

The judgment dated May 18, 2026, states that, based on the evidence presented, the involvement of the five defendants in the criminal group created to traffic cocaine was proven.

According to the ruling, Izet Sheqiri, as the owner of “MC FOOD,” and Faton Vrajolli, as deputy director and the person responsible for imports, were the main organizers of the criminal activity. In coordination with individuals in Brazil, they had devised a plan to conceal the narcotics inside legitimate shipments of meat products imported from that country.

The court found that the group operated according to a clearly defined hierarchy, with precisely assigned roles. Izet Sheqiri directed and oversaw the entire operation, while Faton Vrajolli handled operational coordination, communication with Brazilian suppliers and the organization of distribution.

Kadri Sheqiri, a relative of the owner and a sales representative at the company, was tasked with distributing the cocaine in Pristina and beyond. The evidence shows that Faton Vrajolli had assigned him this task for the period from May 20 to 25, 2021, in exchange for a payment of 60,000 euros.

The group’s plan also set out in detail how “MC FOOD’s” status as a regular importer, categorized under the customs “yellow channel,” would be exploited. This status meant that the company’s goods were subject only to documentation checks and not to physical inspections of shipments, creating an opportunity for the drugs to be transported without being detected during customs procedures.

Data obtained from international authorities showed that container S… had departed from Brazil and traveled along the route Navegantes, Brazil–Valencia, Spain–Gioia Tauro, Italy–Durrës, Albania–Lipjan, Kosovo. Italian authorities had detected irregularities during an X-ray scan at the port of Gioia Tauro, but the container was allowed to continue its journey according to a plan coordinated by the investigative authorities.

Another key element that, according to the court, demonstrates the group’s links to criminal networks in Brazil concerns two other “MC FOOD” containers. In March 2021, Spanish authorities seized them at the port of Barcelona after finding 109 kg and 218 kg of cocaine in them, respectively.

Telephone communications presented as evidence showed that Izet Sheqiri, Faton Vrajolli and Kadri Brahimi were aware of these seizures. They had discussed the “shortages” in the respective shipments among themselves, using coded expressions for the confiscated cocaine.

Although the seizure of these two containers was not the subject of the proceedings, the court treated it as circumstantial evidence. According to the judgment, the conversations among the defendants in both instances concerned the very containers in which the narcotics had been discovered, while there were no other communications regarding routine shipments. According to the court, the fact that the same individuals were involved reflected the way the group was organized.

The Basic Court also found that, following the arrests, a coordinated plan to obstruct justice was put into action through the manipulation of cooperating witness Kadri Sheqiri. Intercepted communications used as evidence showed that Izet Sheqiri had communicated with Kadri Sheqiri while in pretrial detention, offering him material benefits if he changed his statement.

In this context, Hyzri Sheqiri and Naim Morina, who have already been convicted by a final judgment, had organized a scheme intended to portray Kadri Sheqiri as a person with mental health problems. Through sham visits to the Psychiatry Clinic, they sought to undermine the credibility of his statement as a cooperating witness.

In reaching its conclusion regarding the facts described in the operative part of the judgment, the court took into account the interconnection of the entire chain of events, communications about the products, statements by the cooperating witness, conversations among the defendants concerning only the shipment containing the drugs, audio recordings, the employees’ specific responsibilities and actions contrary to those duties solely in the case in question.

According to the court’s assessment, the evidence as a whole rules out the possibility that any other person was involved in bringing the narcotics into the “MC FOOD” company.

The indictment filed by the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo (SPRK), concerning the seizure of 400 kilograms of cocaine, charges “MC FOOD” owner Izet Sheqiri, as well as Faton Vrajolli, Kadri Sheqiri, Kadri Brahimi, Fehmi Bytyqi, Hyzri Sheqiri and Naim Morina.

“Betimi për Drejtësi” had reported exclusively on the prosecution’s case file in this matter, in which Izet Sheqiri, Faton Vrajolli, Kadri Sheqiri, Kadri Brahimi, Fehmi Bytyqi, Hyzri Sheqiri and Naim Morina are listed as defendants.

Hyzri Sheqiri and Naim Morina were charged in the same case as the other five defendants, but the criminal proceedings against them were severed after they reached plea agreements.

Following an agreement with the prosecution, Hyzri Sheqiri was sentenced to seven months in prison for obstructing criminal proceedings. For the same offense, Naim Morina received a six-month prison sentence, also after reaching a plea agreement.

Through this indictment, the prosecution has sought the confiscation of 400 kilograms of cocaine, vehicles, weapons and approximately 26,000 euros.

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The operation, codenamed “Destination,” carried out by specialists from the Narcotics Investigation Section, ended with the arrest in flagrante of a 38-year-old man in the Mëzez area.

The detainee is citizen A. K., 38, a resident of Tirana. During a search of the “Audi” vehicle he was driving, police officers discovered a bag containing around 100 grams of suspected cocaine, which is believed to have been prepared for sale.

Both the drugs and the vehicle were seized as material evidence.

POLICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Tirana/Operations against the sale of hard drugs continue in different areas of the capital. Operation “Destination”/ A 38-year-old man was arrested in Mëzez, with a bag of cocaine in his vehicle, ready for sale.

Around 100 grams of suspected cocaine and an “Audi” vehicle were seized. As a result of the swift processing of information secured through operational work, as part of Tirana Police actions to catch citizens selling narcotic substances in quantities and doses in highly frequented areas and other parts of the capital, specialists from the Narcotics Investigation Section finalized the codenamed operation “Destination.”

During the operation, citizen A. K., 38, a resident of Tirana, was arrested in flagrante. Searches of the “Audi” vehicle that this citizen was driving in the village of Mëzez found a bag containing around 100 grams of suspected cocaine, ready for sale. The narcotic substance was seized as material evidence, together with the vehicle where it was found. The procedural materials were referred to the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office for further action.

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