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Transporting contraband goods/ 42-year-old arrested in Dibër, a customs officer in handcuffs

2025-10-15 08:49:00, Kronika CNA

Transporting contraband goods/ 42-year-old arrested in Dibër, a customs

Smuggled goods

A 42-year-old man in Debar has been arrested after being caught transporting smuggled goods from North Macedonia.

A customs officer in Bllate has also been arrested on suspicion of allowing goods to pass through customs through corruption. Another customs officer has also been prosecuted in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the police have seized the goods (boxes of detergents and packaging materials), the vehicle in which they were transported, as well as sums of money in various currencies.

Police announcement:

Debar/The police operation codenamed "Scanner" is being finalized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Investigation Section.

The 42-year-old was arrested after being caught red-handed while transporting goods he had smuggled from the Republic of Macedonia.

A customs officer from the Bllate branch was also arrested, as it is suspected that through corruption, he allowed this criminal activity to be carried out.

Another customs officer from this branch is under investigation, suspected of abuse of office.

The goods, the vehicle in which they were transported, as well as sums of money in various currencies, were seized.

As a result of the rapid administration of information obtained operationally, regarding a case of smuggling of various goods through the Bllate BCP, specialists from the Economic and Financial Crimes Investigation Section finalized the "Scanner" operation.

As part of the operation:

-Citizen AC, 42 years old, resident of the village of Maqellarë, was arrested for the criminal offenses of "Active corruption of persons exercising public functions", "Smuggling of other goods", "Smuggling of prohibited or restricted goods", "Trading and transporting contraband goods" and "Hiding income";

-Citizen AL, 51 years old, resident of Tirana, with the duty of customs officer at the Bllata Customs Branch, was arrested for the criminal offenses of "Passive corruption of persons exercising public functions" and "Abuse of office";

-proceedings were initiated in the absence of citizen EM, 50 years old, resident of Korça, with the duty of customs officer at the Bllate Customs Branch, for the criminal offense of "Abuse of office".

In the territory of the Maqellarë administrative unit, an “Opel” vehicle driven by a 42-year-old man was stopped. During the search, suspected smuggled goods (boxes of detergents and packaging materials) were found in the vehicle, as they were not equipped with purchase invoices.

From further investigations into this case, it is suspected that the 2 customs officers abused their position, favoring the 42-year-old man for committing this criminal activity.

The procedural materials were referred to the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Dibër, for further action. /CNA