Hajdar Çopja's luxurious life and cocaine network in Dubai revealed

2026-03-17 20:16:00, Kronika CNA

Investigations show that Hajdar Çopja, also known by several other identities, is part of a criminal group run together with his brother, Franc Çopja, convicted in Belgium for murder. The two brothers have built their activity on international cocaine trafficking, also being involved in contract killings in Europe and Albania.

The documentary also focuses on the bloody clash between the Çopja group and the Alibej family, a conflict that began over drug deals and escalated into a series of assassinations and revenge.

According to evidence and investigations, the wealth generated by the trafficking was invested in Dubai, where just one apartment is thought to have cost around 20 million euros. Experts point out that the city has served as a center for strengthening connections between criminal groups and the sophistication of trafficking and money laundering methods.

Excerpt from the documentary:

With its spectacular towers, luxury lifestyle and white sandy beaches, Dubai has become the financial heart of the Middle East for the wealthy from around the world.

But the glittering city of the United Arab Emirates also has a dark side, it is known as a 'paradise' for global organized crime, including Albanians.

One of them is Hajdar Çopja, a 42-year-old from Elbasan, wanted by Albanian justice as part of one of the most violent and powerful organizations in international cocaine trafficking.

For years, Çopja seems to have been enjoying the life of luxury in Dubai undisturbed.

This is one of the videos he posted on social media, clearly showing the unbridled luxury of Hajdar Çopja driving through the streets of Dubai in the most expensive cars of the time.

And in his hand he also holds the most expensive watches worth tens of thousands of euros.

Luxury that accompanies him even in his residence. An apartment in the most chic areas of Dubai, bathed entirely in gold. Luxury that is noticed everywhere and that is exposed without being redeemed by the Albanian criminal character. Who is not the only one who has found paradise in the United Arab Emirates.

Where in fact many similar characters coexist in peace with each other, whether they are of great or lesser fame in the criminal underworld.

Just as sworn enemies coexist in harmony, they have found here the right oasis to lay down their weapons and enjoy the money of crime.

Fatjona Mejdini: “ By 2024, it is thought that in Dubai, there were 25 Albanian citizens who were wanted by the Albanian authorities for committing criminal offenses. There are also many individuals in Dubai, over 100 of whom are problematic individuals. Individuals who were engaged in criminal activity. Despite the fact that they may have had an arrest warrant or not had an investigative process at that time, they were still involved in organized crime. Therefore, even to anticipate an extradition request, they had chosen to stay in Dubai .”

Hajdar Çopja holds several generalships, known as Hajdar Bako, Hysa, or even Dari of Elbasan.

Who in 2024 was detained in Dubai, as part of the police operation 'Surnames'.

At the request of the Albanian authorities, for extradition purposes.

The 42-year-old from Elbasan, for whom Albania has an arrest warrant, has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for the criminal offense of 'Intentional serious injury'. A charge for which he was also internationally wanted and which was related to an incident that occurred in the village of Katund i Ri, where 3 people were injured. But his real activity in the field of crime was the leadership of a criminal group, which also included his brother, Franc Çopja, also known as Franc Gergely.

Even this until recently comfortable resident of Dubai. But who was extradited to Belgium in December 2023, as the person who ordered the murder of Ardit Spahiu. The brother-in-law of Erion Alibej's sister who was shot dead in 2020, in the Molenbeek neighborhood in Brussels.

Franc Çopja was convicted of this murder by the Serious Crimes Court in Brussels in January 2026 with 25 years in prison.

While Mikael Qosja and Flobenc Meçja were sentenced to life imprisonment.

But as we pointed out, the brothers Hajdar and Franc Çopja had international cocaine trafficking as their main activity. But over the years, they were also involved in many crimes against humanity, ordering murders.

Murders which, as we said, were spread throughout Europe, as well as in their hometown of Elbasan.

Where their sworn enmity with the Alibey brothers is already known.

Which began with the execution of Endrit Alibej and ended in bloody revenge among those who had been partners in drug trafficking.

But they had already become enemies of each other.

Confessions from Erion Alibej's cell, on behalf of the Belgian authorities, which highlighted not only their old grudges that resulted in numerous bullets and victims, which apparently had their origins many years ago in Great Britain, where the cause is thought to have been the loss of a quantity of 50 kg of cocaine.

Here, in his accounts, Alibej also spoke about the information he had received about how the Çopja brothers had invested, in a single case in Dubai, around 20 million euros, to buy an apartment in the most exclusive area of ??the city that overflows with the splendor of excessive luxury.

Evidence that Alibey gave before Franc Çopja was arrested in Dubai and extradited to Belgium.

Erion Alibej – Testimony before Belgian investigators

"Ardit Spahiu was the brother of my sister's husband. Endriti, my brother, was closest to Ardit. While I had a normal relationship with him. As Arditi told me, there was talk of millions of euros for contract killings. For us, our opponents are the Çopja family. Franc Çopja is the youngest of the 3 brothers but the most important because he has connections to the narcotics business. He lives in Dubai with his family, his daughter-in-law and a daughter. Franc has Moroccan friends and often goes to Morocco, where they say he has invested in that country. The Moroccan is called 'Baloti'. He is a very well-known person all over the world and this has helped him a lot by opening the way for cocaine trafficking. The Çopjas have invested all this money in Dubai. As far as I know, they have bought an apartment for about 20 million euros in a place called 'Palma'. And they have another one in front of a big carousel wheel, also in Dubai. These are not people who reason normally, "because you can't commit a massacre in front of your family and children."

But Erion Alibej's testimony about the luxury and investments of the Çopja brothers would not be credible if it remained only within the framework of rumors.

If these were not later confirmed by investigations of the transactions they made from time to time.

The 'crooks' who started their criminal careers in Italy by distributing small doses.

To further climb the ranks of international crime by smuggling tons of cocaine from Latin America to Europe, which made them the richest Albanian criminals.

A fortune and a fabulous life that they probably never dreamed of in their early days. But which would not have been possible if the right people had not helped them in this endeavor.

Fabian Zhilla- " I think that Albanian groups have now managed to sit down, create, or learn to exchange experiences with the strongest groups in the cocaine market. And Dubai has certainly provided assistance in this regard. Whether from a logistical point of view. And this has made it easier for Albanians to learn prices, how to transfer money, cocaine, whether to transfer funds, or to hide. So Dubai above all has served to increase sophisticated forms of cover, concealment and removal and their protection from the attacks of law enforcement agencies."/ In Target