Police have cracked down on a human smuggling ring by arresting 3 people during a police operation codenamed "The Network" carried out in cooperation with American law enforcement agencies at the US Embassy in Tirana .
Cerkez Nikoci, 62 years old, Hazir Maçi, 58 years old, and Ardjan Pirani, 58 years old, have been arrested, suspected of being involved in a human smuggling network, otherwise known as providing assistance for the illegal crossing of the border, to Albanian citizens, towards Canada, the United States, etc.
The main suspect, 58-year-old Hazir Maçi , is accused of having, in collaboration with other citizens, through the provision of forged travel documents, smuggled several Albanian citizens from Albania to several EU countries, from there to Caribbean island countries and then to other countries, with the ultimate goal of promising and sending them to Canada and the United States of America.
It is also suspected that Hazir Maçi, with a previous record in this criminal activity, received amounts ranging from 20 to 35 thousand dollars, with the promise of sending them to Canada and the United States.
During the investigations and after the arrest, large amounts of cash, various false travel documents, as well as other items and evidence in the interest of the investigation were seized from the suspects.
Police announcement:
A human smuggling network is hit.
The police operation, codenamed "Network", was carried out by the State Police, American law enforcement agencies at the US Embassy in Tirana, and the Tirana Prosecutor's Office.
3 citizens suspected of being involved in a human smuggling network, otherwise known as providing assistance for illegal border crossing, to Albanian citizens, towards Canada, the United States, etc., are arrested.
The Investigative Services Unit, which works together with the US Federal Agency DSS/OCIU with a presence at the United States Embassy, ??Tirana, in close cooperation with the Special Operations Force and the Tirana General Jurisdiction Prosecutor's Office, has arrested citizens HM, 58 years old, LM, 58 years old, and CN, 62 years old.
Several months of investigations have revealed that the main suspect, citizen HM, in collaboration with other citizens, through the provision of forged travel documents, smuggled several Albanian citizens from Albania to several EU countries, from there to Caribbean island countries and then to other countries, with the final goal of promising and sending them to Canada and the United States of America. It is also suspected that the main suspect, citizen HM, with a previous precedent in this criminal activity, received amounts of between 20 and 35 thousand dollars, with the promise of sending them to Canada and the United States.
During the investigations and after the arrest, large amounts of cash, various false travel documents, as well as other items and evidence in the interest of the investigation were seized from the suspects.
The State Police once again takes the opportunity to thank the Tirana General Jurisdiction Prosecutor's Office, the American law enforcement partners DSS/OCIU here at the United States Embassy, ??Tirana, who have closely coordinated and coordinated the work with their counterpart agencies in the Republic of Kosovo and the Dominican Republic, but also with other law enforcement partners in the Kosovo Police, the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy.
Investigations continue to further document this criminal activity and identify other suspected citizens.