Arben Mërkuri, who also bore the surname Ismaili, was killed in an assassination attempt with a firearm on Wednesday evening in the Sukth area in Durrës.
The 48-year-old was shot with a firearm inside his shop by unidentified persons. He was rushed to hospital after being initially injured in serious condition but died of his injuries.
Arben Mërkuri was a person with a criminal record. He has been suspected, detained, escorted and for a series of criminal events. In the area and social circles he was known by the nickname "Maneci" of Sukth.
Mercury turns out to be a person with a criminal record mainly in the field of narcotics. He was one of the 3 people arrested for beating the Lebanese businessman in Durrës, Faadi Mitri in 2016. For this event, Mercury was accompanied by Landi Muharremi (Rrumi i Shijakut) and Skënder Kraja.
Among other things, police files suspect crimes against the person, such as paid murder, drug trafficking, but nothing is officially documented.
Mercury is suspected of being part of a notorious criminal group in the area and that money laundering is one of the tracks being investigated.
Sukthi is surrounded by numerous police forces, but the circumstances of the event are still unclear. Controls are also being exercised at the entrance of Tirana, as there are strong suspicions that the executors left for the capital after the murder.