FLASH NEWS
The drug trafficking group in Portugal is dismantled, the arrest of Arben Kaçorri, the brother-in-law of Ervis Martinaj
2024-07-20 14:21:37 / AKTUALITET
Arben Kacorri, Ervis Martinaj's brother-in-law, has fallen into the hands of the Portuguese police. As the media of this country informs, Kacorri, one of the main names of the Balkan mafia, lived for 11 years in a luxury building in Parque das Nações, Lisbon. Sentenced in Italy to almost 22 years in prison for murder, Kaçorri went unnoticed, never stopping his criminal activity. In the same building, just one floor above, lived the Portuguese-Brazilian Ícaro Leddy Gouveia (who also has a Dutch passport), 48 years old, an operative of the Mocro Mafia, known as the Moroccan mafia, but operating mainly in the Netherlands.
Together, the two men ran a network dedicated to international drug trafficking, which operated in Portugal and the Netherlands. And everything was set up and coordinated from that building.
The Judicial Police (PJ), through the National Unit for the Fight against Drug Trafficking (UNCTE/PJ), has dismantled the criminal organization. In a statement, the PJ explained that the operation - which was given the name "Labyrinth" - "was carried out simultaneously in both countries and allowed the dismantling of the infrastructure of the organized crime group accused of drug trafficking, participation in a criminal organization, kidnapping and hostage-taking".
Arben Kaçorri and Ícaro Leddy Gouveia remain neighbors even today, although they have been transferred to the high-security Monsanto prison in Lisbon, where they await the development of investigations in preventive detention. According to the PJ, "large amounts of money, several high-end vehicles, luxury goods, communication systems and various computer equipment" were seized from the arrested.
The PJ also states that this organization has committed "several violent crimes aimed at drug possession through the use of force and weapons of war". "Given the great economic potential of the organization, its members had strong security and self-defense measures, namely advanced means of transmitting information, both at the individual level and used in the use of police countermeasures," it says communication.
Despite taking refuge in Portugal, authorities believe this alliance between the Balkan mafia and the Mocro Mafia – an organization that has been linked to the July 2021 murder of Dutch journalist Peter R. de Vries and death threats against the Dutch royal family and the heir to her, Princess Catherine Amalia – operated mostly abroad. International cocaine traffic was centered around the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp in Belgium.
Arben Kaçorri's name has remained unknown - unlike that of Ícaro, who has been exposed in the media. Considered "very dangerous", he lived a sober and luxurious life in the Portuguese capital.
The brother-in-law of Ervis Martinaj, the famous Albanian gangster, known as the "King of Gambling", missing since August 2022, Kaçorri, 52, belongs to a long lineage linked to criminal organizations (his brother, Valentino , is also listed as a member of the Balkan mafia).
In May 2009, he was sentenced in Italy to 21 years and eight months in prison for the serious murder of his compatriot Fatmir Kala in Florence, as well as for illegal possession of weapons. The sentence became irrevocable in October 2010, after his (last) appeal was dismissed. But the Italian authorities have never been able to locate Kaçorri so that he can serve the sentence.
The Albanian was also granted a pardon for three years, but for that crime he will have to serve 18 years and eight months in prison. Italy is expected to request the extradition of the convict to the Portuguese state soon. Also, after this sentence, 15 assets of Kaçorri were confiscated in December last year by an Albanian court. The drug trafficker lost commercial buildings, apartments, land and garages, all located in the capital Tirana and surrounding areas.
On the other hand, Kacorri's friend, the 48-year-old arrested was one of the main targets of the Dutch police, accused of being the co-leader of a criminal organization involved in drug trafficking, robbery, kidnapping and hostage-taking.
This criminal, considered close to a Moroccan leader of a Mocro mafia cell, used Portugal as a haven to escape the authorities despite having an international arrest warrant. The PJ, which had information about this individual since 2010, intensified its investigations in recent months following a request for cooperation from the Dutch police.
Investigations revealed that the suspect regularly traveled between the Netherlands and Portugal, using Lisbon as a base. To avoid detection, he used a fake Italian passport to rent a luxury apartment in Parque das Nações, where he spent long periods of time. Although he lived alone, he was often visited by his family, with whom he shared his luxurious style.
Information obtained by Jornal de Notícias shows that the fugitive frequented the best restaurants in Lisbon, drove high-end cars and shopped in the most exclusive stores, spending an average of five thousand euros a day. During this time, he continued to co-lead the Mocro mafia cell, involved in violent crimes to control the cocaine trade, including stealing drugs from other cartels and kidnappings.
The authorities suspect that part of the cocaine trafficked by the Mocro Mafia is sold by the organization in the Balkans, given the connection of the Albanian with the eastern mafia. Correio da Manhã also reports that the drug trafficker opened a hair salon in Lisbon to launder money from his criminal activities.
Happening now...
America may withdraw from Europe, but not from SPAK
Nga Gentian Gaba
ideas
top
Alfa recipes
TRENDING 
services
- POLICE129
- STREET POLICE126
- AMBULANCE112
- FIREFIGHTER128