TIRANA, Nov. 1 – A Vlora Court has given authorities the right to preventively seize several properties owned by the Habilaj brothers and their associates as part of a criminal investigation into the cannabis trafficking network they are accused of leading.
Members of the group are currently on trial in Italy facing charges of marijuana trafficking. Moisi Habilaj was arrested a few weeks ago during an operation in Catania, Italy, which led to the crackdown on the organization in both Italy and Albania.
Two other Habilaj brothers have been declared wanted, while some of their associates have been arrested by Albanian authorities and are awaiting extradition.
The seized assets included three businesses and three apartments in the coastal city of Vlora, while according to the authorities investigations are ongoing to identify other assets suspected of being purchased with funding from to criminal activities.
The seizure of assets was the result of cooperation between the Vlora Police, the General Directorate for the Prevention of Money-Laundering and the Vlora Prosecutor’s Office.
Moisi Habilaj and other members of the Habilaj drug trafficking gang appeared on Tuesday before a court in the Italian city of Catania to face a preliminary hearing and be ordered detained while waiting a full trial.
The group’s trail in Italy led to a major political controversy in Albania due to the alleged relations of the Habilajs with former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri.
Albanian prosecutors demanded from the parliament authorization for Tahiri’s arrest but were dismissed “due to lack of evidence” through the votes of the ruling Socialist Party majority, to which Tahiri belongs.
Last week judicial police officers searched Tahiri’s apartment, and he was was later summoned to for questioning. He says he is innocent and want a full investigation.
A couple of weeks ago, a special police force operation, involving more than 100 officers, and the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office acted on a tip targeting the Habilaj’s cannabis cache, seizing more than four tons of marijuana.
Prosecution officials said the seizure, in Babice e Vogel village, was part of an investigation launched last year on information obtained from intelligence on the ground.
State Police also noted they were looking for a suspect Moisi Habilaj’s brother, Florian Habilaj, at the time of the seizure. Three people were detained at the home where the drugs were hidden — including the owner a male nurse know to be a friend of the Habilaj’s, police said.
Now prosecutors are also concerned that the translation of Italian warrants by Justice Ministry is taking too long and the arrested men might go free before their extradition case could be heard.
