At the court session in the Special Court, Erion Alibej, a repentant justice, confessed in detail the organization of a series of mafia assassinations, including the murders of Dorjan Shkoza, the Haxhia brothers and Emiliano Ramazan. He admitted that he had paid large sums of money for these assassinations, while the weapons were obtained in Tirana. A shocking detail was the use of counterfeit OFL uniforms, obtained from a contact in Kukës, in order to create the belief that the assassinations were carried out by law enforcement.
Alibej indicated that his main goal and that of his accomplice, Nuredin Dumani, was to eliminate Talo Çela, while the others were killed during attempts to bring the latter to the scene. Through communications on encrypted applications such as SkyECC and Encrochat, Alibej maintained contact with other crime figures, where amounts ranging from 75 to 100 thousand euros were paid for each assassination. In some cases, the victims turned out to be the wrong ones, as in the case of Viktor Haxhië, who was not the intended target.
Alibej also described the involvement of the police and individuals connected to the judiciary, citing pressure exerted on witnesses and connections of judges to criminal groups. He confessed to trying to obtain information from within state structures to protect himself and maintain control over situations. His communications with various individuals testify to a well-organized network with logistical, financial and informational support that extended to several cities in Albania.
Series of mafia assassinations
Erion Alibej admitted to being one of the main organizers of some of the most sensational assassinations of recent years. He recounted how he worked closely with Nuredin Dumani in planning and executing the assassinations, describing the latter as the person who made the final decisions.
In his confession before the court, Alibej indicated that he had financed Nuredin Dumani for the execution of Dorian Shkoza and Anxhelo Avdia, executed on March 2, 2020.
“I paid 100 thousand euros. For weapons, prices ranged from 500 to 2,000 to 3,500 euros. Hoxha would show us what he had and then we would decide whether to buy them or not,” he explained.
According to Alibey’s testimony, Dorian Shkoza was the closest person to Talo Çela, who was the main target of Alibey and Nuredin Dumani, so it was very important that he be executed.
“I insisted only on Talo Çela. During this time, I was also investigating Altin Doci, because he often associated with Besmir Haxhi in Durrës,” he said.
“I had photos of Besmir Haxhia from TIMS, I had learned that he was part of the 3 assassination attempts on my family members,” Alibeaj declared, while Besmir and Viktor Haxhia were executed on the afternoon of April 27, 2020.
They were executed by a hail of 55 bullets that poured onto their vehicle near the car market in Shënavlash, Durrës.
Later, the police arrested Altin Doci as a suspect in this incident, while Alibey revealed that Haxhia had paid Nuredin Dumani for the murder of the brothers.
To gain Dumani’s trust, Alibej had gifted him a stolen Toyota car and weapons, delivered at the Rrogozhina bazaar. When Dumani demanded 50 thousand euros for the murders, Alibej sent him 150 thousand, to show his financial power and strengthen the trust between them.
Regarding the murder of the Haxhia brothers, Alibey said that he had surrendered two Kalashnikovs and a pistol.
Alibej confessed that for the murder of the Haxhia brothers, he had given Duman 2 Kalashnikovs and 1 pistol. The initial plan was to kill Altin Ndoc and Besmir Haxhina, but Viktor also turned out to be an unplanned victim.
“They didn’t know it was Viktor in the car. They thought it was Altin Ndoci,” Alibej said.
Viktor was unintentionally executed when he went to collect the money for the debt, not knowing that Altin Doci was also in the car.
“That day I knew that everything had been prepared for Altin Doci and Dorjan Shkoza. I knew that they had been prepared, but I knew that they would carry out the execution that day. The moment we ambushed him and he came to collect the money for the debt, they drove away,” Alibej explained how the assassination was carried out.
After the murder, Alibey learned from the news that bloodstains from the perpetrators had been found at the scene. When he asked Duman about the traces of blood on the car, he replied that they had shot with the windows closed and that “Kusho” had injured his leg.
Then, a person nicknamed “Nipi” was escorted by the police. Dumani told him that he was talking too much, according to what he heard from the neighbors, including a friend of his, “Miri Pojes”.
According to police information, the Haxhia brothers were executed by a group of perpetrators, while Alibeja said that Dumani had connections to the group known as the “Fushë-Krujës boys”, but he did not know their names.
Fake OFL uniforms
A particular detail that came up in the hearing was the use of fake OFL uniforms to carry out the assassinations. Alibej confessed that he had received counterfeit uniforms from a friend of his in Kukës, Bujar Gërmizi, who had obtained them from Kosovo.
“I told Nuredin that you need uniforms like the OFL. He agreed. Bujari gave me vests, shoes and uniforms which I then gave to Nuredin,” he said.
And even though he had managed to kill people close to him, Talo Çela remained Alibeaj’s permanent target. According to him, after the murder of the Haxhia brothers, Talo Çela stayed in their house.
Meanwhile, Nuredin Dumani hid in Spille with his mother-in-law, as he suspected that he was being talked about in the media. The police visited his apartment, but he had already fled.
“I was in constant contact with him on Sky ECC. During this period, Encrochat and SkyEcc were in use, I used them according to other users. The codes I used on SKYECC were LIZZ and the other KUMI. While on Encrochat NOKU,” said Alibej.
The murder of Emiliano Ramazan
Emiljano Ramazani was executed on July 20, 2020 in the “28 Nëntori” neighborhood in Elbasan, and Alibeaj indicated that he had paid 75 thousand euros for his murder. According to him, the assassination was carried out by Henrik Hoxha and Skerdi Tase, while Dumani was the one who made the decisions.
“Henrik Hoxha and Skerdi Tase took on this task, for the murder of Emiliano Ramazan. There were 2-3 episodes that remained attempts and the execution was not carried out. On the day of the execution, Emiliano Ramazan was at the gym, Henrik Hoxha was the driver and Skerdi Tase was the executioner. Emiljano Ramazan’s car arrived, and without Emiliano turning off the car, he executed Henrik Hoxhaj with a TT pistol,” Alibej gave details.
Alibej admitted that he had an informant for this event, Xhuljano Hoxha, while Dumani used Eljo Bitri.
“Xhuljano Hoxha was aware of the murder of Emiliano Ramazan. I paid him for this case as well. 100 thousand euros would be paid for each murder. I paid 75 thousand euros for the murder of Ramazan. After Emiljano was killed, I took Arsen Preçi to the Teg roundabout, a girl was waiting for him in a taxi. He gave her the money – concluded Alibej.
After this event, on July 29, 2020, Emiljano Ramazan’s friend, Regis Runaj, was also killed in Elbasan, who was stabbed about 20 times.
Alibej emphasized that Regis Runaj’s sister was the secretary of Judge Pajtime Fetahu in Elbasan.
According to him, the judge had close ties to Çopjat and Suel Çela. He mentioned an episode where a police officer told Xhuljano Hoxha: “You have a favor from Keli, how much money do you want, open your mouth and tell me.”
While Alibeaj was busy plotting against his main enemy, Talo Çela, Klevis Kapllani, known as a friend of Nuredin Dumani, was executed on September 15, 2020. Alibeaj claimed that he paid money to the perpetrators of Kapllani’s murder, who according to the police were suspected to be Ervis Daka.
“We were interested in Talo Çela the whole time, but these other murders were plans on the spot. I paid 30 thousand euros for the murder of Ervis Daka,” said Elibeaj, according to whom the group also started planning the murder of Bujar Çela as a sign of revenge.
“After the murder of Kapllani, 1 or 2 days later we decided to execute Bujar Çela. Nuredin suggested it to me and I accepted it,” Alibej testified.
In fact, this is what happened. On September 17, 2020, in the early hours of the morning, Talo Çela’s brother, Bujar Çela, an unlicensed taxi driver with no criminal record, was executed in a bar in Bradashesh.
“Even though I was the one who ordered these murders, it’s not like I was happy about them because they weren’t the main ones,” Alibej confessed.
Friendship and betrayal
In the depths of this criminal network, where murders and money go hand in hand, an essential element emerges: the infidelity between the groups. Alibeaj admitted that through Eno Bitri he had managed to communicate with Mikael Qose, a close friend of Suel Çela. During conversations with him, Nuredini had claimed that Alibeaj was behind these murders.” He was immediately sent a photograph where on the table were piles of euros and a note with the date, month and hour.
“We have 2 million euros for the murder of Erion Alibej,” Nuredin Dumani had said, revealing the large sum that was circulating on Alibeaj’s head.
According to him, Nuredin had demanded half the money and in exchange for handing over Talo Çela.
But in addition to plans for murders, assassinations and communications, Alibeaj revealed that his group used cars with stolen license plates, provided by Alban Qerosi. The vehicles were taken to areas such as Shijak and Durrës.
Communication took place through encrypted platforms such as Sky ECC and Encrochat, where Alibej used the pseudonyms “LIZZ”, “KUMI” and “NOKU”.
In the end, Alibej admitted that funding for criminal activity also came from other figures such as Arjan Spahia and Fat Katnari, connected to international trafficking.
Gazetare në “Rrjetin e Raportimit të Krimit të Organizuar dhe Korrupsionit në Shqipëri”- RRKOKSH.
Studente në fakultetin e historisë dhe filologjisë, Universiteti i Tiranës.
