Name/Who is Rama's appointee to the Municipality, who turned out to be a cigarette smuggler with a large amount of money from the GJKKO?

2025-05-29 16:39:00, Politikë CNA

Name/Who is Rama's appointee to the Municipality, who turned out to be a

A day ago, the Special Court signed several arrest warrants and detention orders at the request of the Special Prosecution Office following a crackdown on the smuggling of a large quantity of cigarettes that had caused damage to the state budget and EU countries worth hundreds of millions of lek.

The scheme was such that cigarettes were transported from Albania to EU countries in violation of the laws.

As a result, several customs officers, businessmen, etc. suffered.

According to Alfa Press, one of the 20 people for whom the GJKKO has issued a restraining order is Eldi Hoxha.

Eldi Hoxha was appointed by Rama as Secretary General of the Municipality of Tirana on Wednesday morning, while in the afternoon he was announced by SPAK and GJKKO, part of a wide network of officials and businessmen, as cigarette smugglers.

The GJKKO decision states that Hoxha was imposed with the security measure "Prohibition of leaving the country" and "Obligation to report to the Judicial Police".

“18. The imposition of the security measure "Prohibition of leaving the country" and "Obligation to report to the Judicial Police", provided for by articles 233 and 234 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, against the citizen under investigation Eldi Hoxha, son of Vladimir and Elvira, born on 05.10.1982, of Albanian nationality and citizenship, married, with personal number 121005149F, with residential address: "Barrikadave" Street, No. 32, H.1, 8th floor, Administrative Unit No. 9, Tirana: suspected of committing the criminal offenses "Smuggling by employees related to customs activity", provided for by article 175 of the Criminal Code.

18.1. The person under investigation, Eldi Hoxha, is ordered not to leave the territory of the Republic of Albania without the authorization of the court, in reference to Article 233, point 1 of the Criminal Procedure Code "Prohibition of leaving the country".

18.2. The use of the passport and other valid identification documents for travel abroad is prohibited for the person under investigation, Eldi Hoxha.

18.3. The person under investigation, Eldi Hoxha, is ordered to appear before the judicial police officer, Mr. Julian Marko, at the National Bureau of Investigation, on the first and third Monday of the month, at 12:30.

19. The imposition of the security measure "Prohibition of leaving the country" and "Obligation to report to the Judicial Police", provided for by articles 233 and 234 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, against the citizen under investigation Ylber Karanxha, son of Shaban and Lazime, born on 01.12.1974, of Albanian nationality and citizenship, married with personal number H41201044P, with residential address: "5 maji" street, Municipal Unit No. 4, Ap. 75, entrance 29 Tirana; suspected of committing the criminal offense "Smuggling by employees related to customs activity", provided for by article 175 of the Criminal Code.

The Special Prosecution Office reacted through an official announcement regarding the action to crack down on the criminal group that smuggled cigarettes. In the SPAK announcement, it is stated that the sophisticated smuggling scheme involves Albanian and foreign citizens, customs officials and businessmen. The cigarettes were reportedly produced in Albania and then smuggled to neighboring countries and then to those of the European Union. It is reported that the security measure "Arrest in prison" has been executed for 5 of the 15 citizens under investigation, while the security measure "Compulsory appearance" and "Prohibition of leaving the country" has been executed for 15 of the 20 citizens under investigation. A security measure "house arrest" has also been imposed, the GJKKO decision states, among other things./ CNA