From friends to sworn enemies / How the rivalry between Ervis Martinaj and Leonard Duke started

2024-08-02 20:19:00, Kronika CNA

From friends to sworn enemies / How the rivalry between Ervis Martinaj and

Ervis Martinaj and Leonard Duka

Ervis Martinaj and Leonard Duka, who are known as sworn enemies, were once best friends.

Their friendship was taking them to the top of the underworld. Together they controlled gambling and drug trafficking.

With the expansion of criminal activity and the growth of power, suspicions of treason in business began.

According to media reports, their relationship broke down when one of their shipments was intercepted by the police.

Martinaj, after proving that the Duke had lied to him, took his father hostage and tortured him.

This is where the enmity between the two friends started. "Prince Damian" swore revenge along with his brother Erlis Duke.

Ervis Martinaj and Leonard Duka

Serial executions

Initially, they executed ex-policeman Santiago Malko on "Xhanfize Keko" street in August 2019 in Tirana, since he was one of the closest people to the gambling boss. According to SPAK, Malko was executed by Fatmir Hyseni from Vlonia, known as "Doqja" and therefore Martinaj later planned his elimination.

The second murder happened on May 30, 2020 inside a hotel, on the Mamurras-Lezhë axis. The victims were businessman Bujar Lika and Paulin Gjergji, two friends of Martinaj.

The third assassination took place on November 13, 2021, in the New Ring area in Tirana, where Erigers Mihasi and Armand Dumani were shot inside the car.

About a month later, on December 23, 2021, another Martinaj soldier was executed inside the car. It is about Can Karriq, who was killed in Kamez.

Another assassination attempt was at the Fushë-Kruja crossing on July 17, 2022. In this case, Diklen Vata, Besmir Hoxha and Brilant Martinaj were killed.

The most recent case was the assassination of Martinaj's financier, Ylli Brahim. On the evening of July 22, 2022, right at the main entrance of the apartment of Ylli Brahim or Brahja as it is known otherwise, there was a burst of gunfire, but he escaped and Klisman Preçi remained the victim.

A few weeks later, the disappearance of Ervis Martinaj was also reported. As of August 9, 2022, nothing is known about his fate.

Suspicions for these crimes fell on the Duka Clan, but Martinaj also had enmity with other criminal groups./ CNA