"There are the mammoths!"/ Artan Hoxha tells who controls gambling, is related to Vis Martinaj

2023-12-08 13:53:00, Aktualitet CNA

"There are the mammoths!"/ Artan Hoxha tells who controls gambling, is

Journalist Artan Hoxha

Journalist Artan Hoxha spoke about gambling.

In an interview, he said that illegal betting is controlled by those who "overthrew" Ervis Martinaj, who was considered the "king of gambling".

He says that gambling is not as visible as it used to be and only mammoths can get in anywhere.

"One of the elements is the police operation, that within a few days many premises were checked, about 1100, thousands of people checked, etc. About 120 people were brought inside. Until August 2022, when Ervis Martinaj, who was called the "king" of gambling, disappeared, the prime minister came out and said we will legalize it. Today I listened to the Parliamentary Commission, where gambling was discussed. Today it is no longer visible as in every corner of the building, where 16 thousand people were employed, today it no longer works visibly, but it is done via mobile phone. In order to operate, you must first have financial guarantees. Not everyone can get in there, only the mammoths get in, because otherwise they can't handle the players. The illegal gambling industry cannot function without the cooperation of the authorities, because you will be spread over the territory. In August 2022, the prime minister promised that we will take this out of the hands of crime. But crime continues. Even after the operation today, they continued, but in illegal ways. The problem is, you will take over this industry and at least hire people and collect taxes, or crime will continue," said Hoxha.

According to Hoxha, the Call Center and gambling were two of the sources of how the police were corrupted.

"Call Center, gambling, were two of the sources of how the police were corrupted. The call center could not be kept open without getting along well with the head of the police, who controls the territory. Likewise for gambling. The amount of money in circulation is considerable. They have been flouting the law for a year. If a year and six months ago, Rama said that the gambling industry is controlled by organized crime, today we are in the same situation. Crime continues to control it, it is no longer Vis Martinaj, but there are some stronger ones, those who overthrew Vis", said the journalist./ CNA