“Criminal groups have ties with...”/ Assassination in Shkodër, Hoxha: We are late in fighting crime

Journalist Artan Hoxha has spoken about the attack in Shkodër that left two dead and two injured. Invited on News24, Hoxha declared that the state has “granted Shkodër on concession,” accusing ties between organized crime and those in power. He emphasized that criminal groups in Shkodër have been active since the 1990s and possess larger funds than the Ministry of Interior itself.

According to Hoxha, many criminal events in Shkodër remain unsolved, while organized crime is increasingly taking control of social structures. He also stressed the need for a national operator to investigate and shed light on these cases.

“Today we have full-fledged organizations. They have been operating since the early 1990s. We are dealing with criminal structures that have a bigger budget than the Ministry of Interior. Above all, they take over the social structure of an event. Just as Shkodër has been treated, many have either moved to Tirana or abroad. In this case, something unusual happened, because the perpetrator was caught very quickly.

This was the latest clash between groups. Conflicts in Shkodër are still unresolved. We are late in fighting crime in Shkodër because they have ties with power. Every time we hear about loan-sharking stories, these groups don’t just take money from people, but also businesses and properties. The state has given Shkodër on concession. Many events there remain without perpetrators. Bardhok Pllana was killed and no one was arrested, Mir Koçiu was killed and still no arrests. In Shkodër there is a thick rope of crime.

I’ve told the Prime Minister to his face: Shkodër’s problem is not street crime, but organized crime. Innocent people are becoming victims. A national operator is needed to investigate Shkodër’s cases. If criminals are allowed to appoint MPs, ministers, etc., it shows they have ties with power, since they also get public funds through deals. Shkodër resembles Palermo in the 1980s. Our structures have failed,” said Hoxha.

“KORÇA BOOM”