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Criminal group that cultivated cannabis/ GJKKO sets sentences for 5 members

2026-03-13 10:48:00, Aktualitet CNA

The Special Court has today imposed prison sentences on five citizens: Aleksandër Rrasa, Kristian Plepaj, Pavlin Shpati, Jeton Kacoli and Arben Shpati.

The Criminal Court decided to declare these citizens guilty of committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants" committed in the form of special cooperation, that of a structured criminal group.

Announcement:

The Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime has filed a request with the Court with the following object:

"Trial of the criminal case pertaining to criminal proceeding no. 161, of 2024, against the defendants Aleksandër Rrasa, Kristian Plepaj, Pavlin Shpati, Jeton Kacoli and Arben Shpati."

2. The trial of this case was conducted under the rules of summary trial. At the end of the trial, the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime, with a panel composed of judges Erjon Çela, Flora Hajredinaj and Bib Ndreca, with decision no. 23, dated 12.03.2026, decided:

1. The guilty plea of ??the defendant Arben Shpati for committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 284/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code and, based on these provisions, his sentence to 10 (ten) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Arben Shpati for committing the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code and, based on these provisions, his sentence to 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Arben Shpati for committing the criminal offense of "Structured criminal group" in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2, and based on this provision, his sentence to 3 (three) years of imprisonment.

Pursuant to Article 55 of the Criminal Code on determining the punishment for committing several criminal offenses, the defendant Arben Shpati is sentenced to a single sentence of 13 (thirteen) years of imprisonment.

In application of Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the above sentence is reduced by 1/3, definitively sentencing the defendant Arben Shpati to a single sentence of 8 (eight) years and 8 (eight) months of imprisonment. · The sentence for the defendant Arben Shpati to be served in a high-security prison.

2. The guilty plea of ??the defendant Pavlin Shpati for committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 284/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code, based on these provisions, his sentence to 9 (nine) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Pavlin Shpati for committing the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code, based on these provisions, his sentence to 10 (ten) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Pavlin Shpati for committing the criminal offense of "Structured criminal group" in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2 of the Criminal Code and, based on this provision, his sentence to 3 (three) years of imprisonment.

Pursuant to Article 55 of the Criminal Code on determining the punishment for committing several criminal offenses, the defendant Pavlin Shpati is sentenced to a single sentence of 10 (ten) years and 6 (six) months of imprisonment.

In application of Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the above sentence is reduced by 1/3, definitively sentencing the defendant Pavlin Shpati to a single sentence of 7 (seven) years of imprisonment.

The defendant Pavlin Shpati's sentence shall be served in a high-security prison, an IEVP. 3. The guilty plea of ??the defendant Aleksandër Rrasa for committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants" committed in the form of special cooperation with a structured criminal group, as provided for in articles 284/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code, and based on these provisions, his sentence to 8 (eight) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Aleksandër Rrasa for committing the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 283/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code and, based on these provisions, his sentence of 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Aleksandër Rrasa for committing the criminal offense “Structured criminal group” in the form of participation provided for in Article 333/a/2 and, based on this provision, his sentence to 3 (three) years of imprisonment. Pursuant to Article 55 of the Criminal Code on determining the sentence for committing several criminal offenses, the defendant Aleksandër Rrasa is sentenced to a single sentence of 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment.

In application of Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the above sentence is reduced by 1/3, definitively sentencing the defendant Aleksandër Rrasa to a single sentence of 8 (eight) years. · The sentence for the defendant Aleksandër Rrasa to be served in a high-security prison. 4. The guilty plea of ??the defendant Jeton Kacoli for committing the criminal offense of "Cultivation of narcotic plants" committed in the form of special cooperation with a structured criminal group as provided for in Articles 284/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code and, based on these provisions, his sentence to 8 (eight) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Jeton Kacoli for committing the criminal offense of "Production and sale of narcotics" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group provided for by articles 283/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code and, based on these provisions, his sentence to 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment.

The guilty plea of ??the defendant Jeton Kacoli for committing the criminal offense of "Structured criminal group" in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2, and based on this provision, his sentence to 3 (three) years of imprisonment.

Pursuant to Article 55 of the Criminal Code on determining the punishment for committing several criminal offenses, the defendant Jeton Kacoli is sentenced to a single sentence of 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment. · In application of Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the above sentence is reduced by 1/3, definitively sentencing the defendant Jeton Kacoli to a single sentence of 8 (eight) years of imprisonment. · The sentence for the defendant Jeton Kacoli is to be served in a high-security prison, an IEVP.

5. The guilty plea of ??the defendant Kristjan Plepaj for committing the criminal offense "Cultivation of narcotic plants" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 284/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code and based on these provisions, his sentence to 8 (eight) years of imprisonment. · The guilty plea of ??the defendant Kristjan Plepaj for committing the criminal offense "Production and sale of narcotics" committed in the form of special cooperation of a structured criminal group, provided for by articles 284/1, 28/4 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code and based on these provisions, his sentence to 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment. · The guilty plea of ??the defendant Kristjan Plepaj for committing the criminal offense of "Structured criminal group" in the form of participation, provided for by Article 333/a/2, and based on this provision, his sentence to 3 (three) years of imprisonment.

Pursuant to Article 55 of the Criminal Code on determining the sentence for committing several criminal offenses, the defendant Jeton Kacoli is sentenced to a single sentence of 12 (twelve) years of imprisonment. · In application of Article 406/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the above sentence is reduced by 1/3, definitively sentencing the defendant Kristjan Plepaj to a single sentence of 8 (eight) years of imprisonment. · The sentence for the defendant Kristjan Plepaj is to be served in a high-security prison, an IEVP.

6. Material evidence seized for the purpose of this criminal proceeding pursuant to Article 190 of the Code of Criminal Procedure shall be kept in storage for the purpose of separate proceedings.

7. The procedural costs during the investigation phase as well as the court costs are jointly and severally borne by the defendants. 8. The parties may appeal this decision within 15 (fifteen) days at the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime, the deadline of which begins on the day following the notification of the decision. /CNA