TIRANA, Jan.12 – A string of murders has been registered throughout Albania at the start of the year, which has shocked the country’s public opinion. Road accidents were also frequent, with 4 deaths reported on the first day of the year alone.
A former police officer was shot dead in Lezhe on January 2, 2016, while no arrests have been made on the case. The victim had been arrested for murder charges in 2011, but was later found innocent by the court. His execution is believed to be connected with his prior arrest for murder, but according to the police there might be other motives.
One person was kidnapped by four people disguised as cops on January 6 in Durres, while his body was found dumped in a field the following day, 45 kilometers from where he was pulled over by the fake cops. According to the police, one of the main motives behind the murder of the victim, who had a number of run-ins with the law, is the involvement in the illicit trade of narcotics.
A 36-year-old man was executed the night of January 6 in front of his residence in Vlora, as the victim was attempting to get to his vehicle. The victim is reported to have resided in Spain and had returned to Albania for the holiday season. The police strongly suspect that the reason behind the victim’s execution is a drug deal gone wrong in Spain, while law enforcement authorities don’t exclude contract killing.
An ambush involving assault rifles in the road axis linking Fier and Lushnja on January 8 claimed the life of one person, while the other two people travelling with the victim were injured. Investigations have led to the arrest of one person that was involved in the crime, while the police are looking for three other suspects believed to have taken part in the execution. A murder committed 15 years ago is believed by the police to be the main motive behind the murder.
Three other murders for weak motives were registered this January in Albania. Such incidents are commonplace in Albania during the holiday season, as many Albanian immigrants, often with a criminal past, return to spend holidays with their relatives.
According to Albania’s Ministry of the Interior, 54 murders were registered in 2015, the lowest number registered in the last 25 years. No murders related to blood feuds were registered last year, while there was a decrease in the number of crimes within the family. Compared to the previous year, the number of accidents rose by 4.5% in 2015, which resulted in higher number of casualties.
