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Lorenc Lala, the 47-year-old Albanian wanted for a blood feud murder, has been arrested in Britain, where he had lived free and unchallenged for four years.
Lala was arrested this week by British police, following an operation in collaboration with Albanian authorities. The State Police had issued an international arrest warrant and were seeking his extradition to face justice in Albania.
He is accused of organizing and financing the murder of Albi Bashaliu, an event that took place in 2021 in the village of Gjocaj, Peqin, as part of a blood feud for a previous murder. Lorenc Lala is suspected of paying 50,000 euros (around £42,000) for Bashaliu's execution and helping the perpetrator flee the scene.
According to British media, Lala is believed to have fled to the United Kingdom in the belief that he would be safer outside the European arrest warrant system. Since Britain's exit from the EU, it is no longer part of this legal mechanism.
“A new generation of Albanians involved in organised crime and wanted by Albania, Italy, Greece or Germany are illegally entering the UK, mainly via lorries ,” an expert on Albanian organised crime told The Telegraph.
"They are using Britain as a safe haven to evade European arrest warrants ," he added.
Chris Philp, the Home Secretary, said : “The UK cannot become a safe haven for dangerous criminals. A strong crackdown on border security is needed to prevent illegal immigrants and criminals from entering the country. I have concerns that this Albanian suspect may try to take advantage of our weak human rights laws to stay here. Therefore, human rights law should be repealed for immigration matters.”
Lala, also known as Kristian Lala, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police's extradition unit and appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court to face charges of "conspiracy to murder" in Albania.
He is currently in custody, awaiting the next court hearing expected to take place in July, while Albania has initiated procedures for his extradition.
In a statement to the media, the Albanian State Police announced that Lala has been charged in absentia with involvement in a blood feud murder, creating the conditions for the commission of the murder, and participating in a structured criminal group.
"The murder of Albi Bashaliu occurred in 2021. Lorenc Lala was the organizer of this crime, financing the perpetrators and creating the conditions for its execution. He then helped the perpetrator leave the scene ," the official statement said.
After the crime, Lala fled Albania and hid in Britain, where he remained undetected for four years. His location was identified after an exchange of information between Albanian and British authorities.
Kreshnik Ajazi, head of the Elbasan Prosecutor's Office, told the media that the case was resolved after cooperation with a member of the criminal group who agreed to speak with authorities.
"His arrest in Britain and possible extradition by British courts constitutes a great success and reflects the excellent relations between the two countries in the field of criminal justice," said Ajazi.
A spokesman for the British Home Office stated that "the United Kingdom has extensive cooperation agreements with international partners, including Albania, to prevent the country from becoming a haven for those seeking to escape justice."
According to an official Home Office source, Britain has a special extradition agreement with Albania, even though it was not part of the European arrest warrant system before leaving the EU.
In 2023, The Telegraph reported that over 12,000 Albanians had entered illegally via the English Channel during 2022 alone. Within the first four months of that year, 80 Albanian nationals were sentenced to a total of 130 years in prison.
Thanks to bilateral agreements between Albania and Britain to crack down on crime and expedite deportations, the number of Albanians crossing illegally in 2023 fell to just 630 people./ The Telegraph
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