They adapted the building for a casino/ 1 in handcuffs in Lezha, 15 citizens in criminal proceedings

2026-01-01 11:19:00, Kronika CNA

They adapted the building for a casino/ 1 in handcuffs in Lezha, 15 citizens in

A police operation codenamed "Fishat" has cracked a case of adapting a three-story building for a casino and drug use.

As a result, the casino manager was arrested, and the organizer who had rented the three-story building and adapted it for a casino was declared wanted.

Criminal proceedings were brought against 15 citizens who were caught on casino premises playing games of chance on slot machines and at the poker table.

Millions of lek, euros and dollars, cocaine, slot machines, a poker table, gambling cards, etc. were also seized.

Announcement:

The Special Operations Force Services at the Criminal Police Department of the State Police, in cooperation with the Economic and Financial Crime Investigation Sector at the Criminal Police Department, based on information that in Lezha, in a three-story building on "Gjergj Fishta" Boulevard, a casino for gambling was operating, have organized and finalized the police operation codenamed "Fishat".

During the search of a three-story apartment, rented by a 24-year-old EU citizen, and with the second and third floors adapted for gambling and drug use, the Police services found and seized, as material evidence, 15 gambling machines, a poker table, chips, gambling cards, several doses of cocaine, 725,000 new lek, as well as euros and dollars.

Following the operation, citizen BA, 47 years old, was arrested in flagrante delicto for the criminal offenses of "Production and sale of narcotics", "Organization or exercise of gambling activities in violation of the law", "Providing premises for illegal gambling", "Hiding income", "Non-payment of taxes and duties" and "Laundering of the proceeds of a criminal offense or criminal activity".

Following the actions, a 24-year-old EU citizen was declared wanted for the same criminal offenses, as the investigative actions show that this citizen has taken out a lease on the building that was adapted as a casino. Work to capture him continues.

During the operation, 15 citizens who were caught playing games of chance in the casino were also prosecuted.

In cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office, work continues on the complete legal documentation of this case, as well as by the Directorate of Professional Standards at the State Police to determine the responsibilities of the persons who were tasked with preventing and combating illegal gambling.

The procedural materials were referred to the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Lezha. /CNA