The Special Prosecution Office has sent members of a structured criminal group, who are accused of arms trafficking from Albania to the United Kingdom, to trial, A2 CNN reports.
Who are the accused?
1. Adulla Hoxhaj, accused of committing elements of the following criminal offenses:
i. “Trafficking in weapons and ammunition”, attempted, committed in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by Articles 278/a/1-22 and 28/4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with Article 334/1 of the Criminal Code “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”
ii. "Structured criminal group", in the form of leadership, provided for by Article 333/a/1 of the Criminal Code
iii. “Unauthorized possession and production of weapons, explosive weapons and ammunition” in the residence and in large quantities, provided for by Article 278/7 in connection with paragraph 4 of this provision of the Criminal Code, which were seized in the residence during the execution of the personal security measure on 1.8.2024
iv. "Unauthorized production, possession, purchase or sale of cold weapons", provided for by Article 279/1 of the Criminal Code, which were seized in the apartment during the execution of the personal security measure on 1.8.2024.
2. Almir Gjidiaj, accused of committing elements of the following criminal offenses:
i. “Trafficking in weapons and ammunition”, attempted in a special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by Articles 278/a/1-22 and 28/4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with Article 334/1 of the Criminal Code “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”,
ii. "Structured criminal group", in the form of leadership, provided for by Article 333/a/1 of the Criminal Code.
3. Admir Tutaj, accused of committing elements of the following criminal offenses:
i. “Trafficking in weapons and ammunition”, attempted, committed in a special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by Articles 278/a/1-22 and 28/4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with Article 334/1 of the Criminal Code “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”
ii. "Structured criminal group", in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
4. Alban Gjidiaj, accused of committing elements of the following criminal offenses:
i. “Trafficking in weapons and ammunition”, attempted, committed in a special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by Articles 278/a/1-22 and 28/4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with Article 334/1 of the Criminal Code “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”
ii. "Structured criminal group", in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
5. Rifat Avdiaj, accused of committing elements of the following criminal offenses:
i. “Trafficking in weapons and ammunition”, attempted in a special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by Articles 278/a/1-22 and 28/4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with Article 334/1 of the Criminal Code, “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”
ii. "Structured criminal group", in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
6. Boyken Turtulli, accused of committing elements of the following criminal offenses:
i. “Trafficking in weapons and ammunition”, attempted, committed in a special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group, provided for by Articles 278/a/1-22 and 28/4 of the Criminal Code, in connection with Article 334/1 of the Criminal Code “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or a structured criminal group”
ii. "Structured criminal group", in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2 of the Criminal Code.
How did the 6 accused get arrested?
From the acts administered for this criminal proceeding, it resulted that on 10.4.2023, during the scanning process of a van type vehicle with British license plates, KS 15 MZN, anomalies were found and it was decided to carry out a physical check of it, near the checkpoint.
This search resulted in the discovery of 8 pistol-type firearms, 4 pistol magazines, and 201 9 mm caliber cartridges hidden inside a wooden table in the van.
"Referring to the discovery of the quantity of weapons and combat ammunition seized, with the final destination being the United Kingdom, as well as the manner in which the organizers secured and erased the serial numbers on 6 of the firearms, it was assessed that they would not be used for self-defense. From the entirety of the investigative actions carried out for this criminal proceeding, only one of the persons implicated in the commission of this criminal offense was initially identified and on 15.6.2023, the identification of the citizen, Franko Gjalpi, was made. At the end of the investigations, the file in his charge was sent for trial and with decision No. 67, dated 6.11.2024, this defendant was declared guilty by the Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime, a decision which was also upheld by the Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime with decision No. 8, dated 11.3.2025", says SPAK.
How the arms trafficking "work" was organized
SPAK says that the organizers had found a suitable environment and specialists in the field of carpentry on the outskirts of Tirana, who would enable the weapons to be hidden inside the wooden products (to avoid being caught by the police and customs structures). They had secured the people who would transfer the “orders” to the transport company in Tirana, the use of false generalities both by the deliverers of the orders to the transport company, and by their recipients in the United Kingdom.
Also, the provision of the means of transportation and communication, as well as the respective rewards for each transport carried out, we have estimated that the number of persons involved in this criminal activity is higher than two, concluding that we are before the commission of the criminal offense under investigation, not within the framework of simple cooperation, but in the special form of cooperation, that of a structured criminal group.
From the entirety of the investigations conducted, it has been possible to identify other associates of the defendant Franko Gjalpi, involved in this illegal criminal activity, more specifically the defendants: Adulla Hoxhaj, Rifat Avdiaj, Admir Tutaj, Almir Gjidiaj, Alban Gjidiaj and Bojken Turtulli, who had clearly defined roles in the organization, management and financing of this structured criminal group, with the aim of safely trafficking firearms and ammunition in the United Kingdom.
The structure of the criminal group
The investigations conducted have identified a structured criminal group, divided into two subgroups operating in Albania and the United Kingdom respectively, and the identification of the members and their responsibilities has been achieved as follows.
A. Criminal group in Albania
Director: Adulla Hoxhaj
Participants: Rifat Hoxhaj, Boyken Turtulli, Franko Gjalpi
B. Criminal group in the United Kingdom
Director: Almir Gjidiaj.
Participants: Admir Tutaj and Alban Gjidiaj
"From the analysis of all the facts and circumstances, it has resulted and proven that the defendant, Adulla Hoxhaj, is the leader of the subgroup, which has operated in the territory of the Republic of Albania. He has coordinated the actions with other members of the group in Albania and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, the defendants: Bojken Turtulli and Rifat Avdija, as well as the co-defendant Franko Gjalpi, have played the role of assistants in this illegal criminal activity.
"It has also been proven that the other defendant Almir Gjidiaj is the leader of the subgroup, which operated in the United Kingdom. He coordinated the actions of other members of the group in the United Kingdom and Albania. The defendant Admir Tutaj is one of the recipients of the orders in the United Kingdom as well as a trusted person of the other defendant Alban Gjidiaj, who had the role of assistants in this illegal criminal activity," SPAK says.
As a result of the controls carried out in Albania, on 10.4.2023 at the Port Durrës BCP, and 16.06.2023 in Tirana, the following items were seized:
6 (six) pistol-type firearms, brand "GLOCK", with erased numbers and the inscription "Glock Austria 9 x 19".
1 (one) pistol-type firearm, brand "HERSTAL", with number 1534 P.
1 (one) firearm, pistol type, brand "BROËNING", with number 2205.
4 (four) black pistol grips
201 (two hundred and one) pieces of 9 mm caliber cartridges.
1 650 (one thousand six hundred and fifty) euros
31 700 (thirty-one thousand seven hundred) lek
8 (eight) mobile phones, etc.
As a result of the controls carried out in Albania, on 1.8.2024, mainly in the apartment of the defendant Adulla Hoxhaj, as well as in the apartments of the other defendants, the following items were seized:
24 pistol firearms
1 Kalashnikov assault rifle
various parts of firearms (pins, springs, latches, barrels, etc.)
49 combs (caricatures) of various types,
2 knives
409 cartridges of various calibers,
1 pair of handcuffs
10 special optical and laser devices
4 vehicles
1 engine
1 pair of military clothing
1 special forces helmet
4 mobile phones
2 laptops
1 central unit
290 euros
13,000 lek
Vala Sim card (Kosovar).
The Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime thanks the British justice authorities, the Homeland Security Attaché of the British Embassy in Albania, as well as the Albanian law enforcement agencies, who have supported and assisted us. (A2 Televizion)
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