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Investigations into the former director and CEO of "Bankers Petroleum" / Fier Prosecution Office clarifies the charges

2025-07-03 11:37:00, Aktualitet CNA

Investigations into the former director and CEO of "Bankers Petroleum"

The Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Fier issued 14 security measures for 'Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd' under the charge of the criminal offenses "Creating fraudulent schemes related to value added tax", "Hiding income", "Laundering the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity", "Abuse of office" and "Failure to perform duties by tax authorities", provided for by articles 144/a, 180/3, 287, 248, 181/a of the Criminal Code.

The investigations into criminal proceedings no. 2063, dated 30.12.2024, were initiated after a referral from the Tax Investigation Directorate to the General Directorate of Taxes and after a 6-month investigation, also with proactive investigation methods, in close cooperation with the Tax Investigation Directorate, sufficient evidence was collected which creates reasonable suspicion that the elements of the figures of the criminal offenses for which this criminal proceeding was registered have been consumed.

At the request of the Prosecutor's Office at the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction, Fier and in cooperation with the Local Police Directorate Fuer and the Tax Investigation Directorate, controls were carried out in several company premises as well as in private homes, from where items pertaining to criminal offenses were seized and 9 (nine) personal security measures of a coercive nature were executed, against the current Administrator of the company HX, the former administrator of the company "Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd", L.Ç, as well as against several other citizens L.Ë, AK, K.Xh, DG, M.Th, MI and EA, with management positions in this company. While 5 (five) citizens, mainly foreigners, were declared wanted. Intervention at this stage of the investigation is related to the risk of destroying evidence, further interruption of criminal activity and avoiding the risk of flight.

The investigation so far has shown that the company "Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd", from 2004 to the end of 2024, has been at a loss, which has caused the Albanian state to not benefit from any income for 20 years from this activity, despite the fact that significant amounts of fuel have been extracted and traded in the areas known for oil reserves, Patos-Marinëz-Fier. It has been noted that the company has carried out exports and sales within the country from 2004 to 2024 in the amount of 532,433,614,112 lek. It also results that the company has declared tax expenses in amounts that exceed income from exports and sales, resulting in a loss in each fiscal year, where the total value for all periods is in the amount of 11,691,799,688 lek. From the investigation, it is suspected that the damage caused to the state budget, through VAT benefits, is in the millions of euros.

It is suspected that, throughout the entire period of its activity, the company "Bankers Petroleum Albania Ltd" has fictitiously increased its expenses, in order to result in a loss in the annual balance sheet, and then has not paid any tax on the profit, but has benefited from VAT reimbursement through fraudulent schemes, assisted by other individuals and companies contracting with it, with various objects and activities. To achieve this goal, the company and its employees are suspected of having falsified various documents and carried out financial operations of various natures with various operators and individuals both inside and outside Albania.

Investigations within the framework of this criminal proceeding continue as several different VAT fraud schemes, money laundering, etc. are suspected, in which many other individuals and companies are implicated.

In conclusion, the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Fier remains committed to effectively carrying out criminal prosecution and holding accountable the perpetrators of these crimes related to taxes and duties.