Loss of 240 kg of army explosives investigated

Prospectors believe the 12,000 TNT ingots, about 200 grams each, were likely sold illegally to be used in construction material extraction, but they also fear more sinister uses.
TIRANA, Nov. 8 – Prosecutors have launched an investigation after a Defense Ministry audit found 240 kg of TNT explosives were missing from a Kruja area military depot.
Prospectors believe the 12,000 TNT ingots, about 200 grams each, were likely sold illegally to be used in construction material extraction, but they also fear more sinister uses in an area that has seen a string of TNT attacks on infrastructure.
The ministry said it welcomed a personal commitment by Prosecutor General Adriatik Llalla to investigate the case, adding the ministry’s request for a probe had earlier found a deaf ears with local prosecutors in Kruja.
Last month, the ministry had made an inventory of the supplies at the Nuraj Military Base, where it found that a considerable amount of explosive devices were missing. They suspected several the military personnel could have been involved in a possible theft of supplies, and wanted prosecutors to act quickly.
One officer in charge of the military depot, Corporal Adem Hasani, was detained by military police, the ministry said.
“Non-reaction from the Kruja prosecutor’s office for the violations noted and the information on the possible attempt for the officer in question to leave the country led to his detention,” the ministry said in a statement.
Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli had called Llalla directly to ask him for the start of the investigation.An investigation by prosecutors confirmed that about 12,000 TNT ingots were missing from the base. They are also probing the possibility of the loss of other amounts of military explosives and other supplies stored at Nuaj.
Prospectors believe that the 200-gram TNT ingots were likely sold illegally to be used by businesses in the area that extract lime stones from the mountains in the area to use them in construction.
However, they also fear the explosives may have been sold to people with more sinister intentions.
The area of Kruje and Fushe Kruje noticed a significant rise of the explosions of the power lines and other objects earlier this year. On Thursday morning for example, the offices of the local power distribution company, OSHEE, were targeted with a TNT following the campaign to cut illegal power connections. No one was hurt.
The statement from the prosecutor’s office also said that besides the explosions’ repercussions the loss of the explosives had also cost the public budget some 200 million leks.
Some other ammunition and unnamed military devices were apparently missing as well, according to the audit.