Three people have been arrested and four others have been placed under investigation in Tirana, accused of smuggling luxury clothing from China and Turkey, and then selling it in the capital while evading tax obligations.
Sofokli Bushi, Bilbil Llangozi and Ali Bushati have been arrested.
These people were arrested in flagrante delicto by the police while transporting, in 2 vehicles, 17 suitcases of expensive brand-name clothing, suspected of being smuggled, which were seized as material evidence.
"State Police"
The Directorate for the Investigation of Economic and Financial Crimes at the DPSSh is finalizing the operation codenamed "Brand 3".
Seven citizens have been identified who, in collaboration with each other, smuggled clothing from China and Turkey, stored them in Tirana and sold them while avoiding tax obligations.
3 of these citizens are arrested, the other 4 are being prosecuted.
Investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other citizens involved in this criminal activity.
17 suitcases containing expensive brand-name clothing and 2 vehicles were seized.
As a result of rapid investigations conducted by the Economic and Financial Crime Investigation Sector in the Directorate for Economic and Financial Crime Investigation at the DPSS, based on information obtained regarding a case of smuggling of goods and their informal sale, the operation codenamed "Brand 3" was organized and finalized.
As a result, 7 citizens were identified who, in collaboration with each other, smuggled clothing from China and Turkey, stored them in Tirana and then sold them while avoiding tax obligations.
These citizens were caught red-handed during the operation, transporting 17 suitcases of expensive brand-name clothing, suspected of being smuggled, in 2 vehicles, which were seized as material evidence.
At the end of the actions:
-Citizens were arrested: SB, 69 years old, B. Ll., 72 years old and AB, 57 years old;
-Criminal proceedings were initiated against the following citizens: R. Ll., 45 years old, IB, 39 years old, EB, 23 years old and ZM, 65 years old.
The procedural materials were referred to the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Tirana, for the criminal offenses of "Violation of industrial property rights", "Smuggling of other goods", "Trading and transporting contraband goods", "Non-payment of taxes and duties" and "Hiding income", the police announced.