Flash News

Scandal/ Large amounts of oil spilled in Vjosa National Park, is UNESCO status at risk?

Accident on the Puka-Shkodra axis, two injured

Parliamentary Assembly delegation report for May 11: SP used the administration in the campaign, there was pressure on voters

Memli Krasniqi re-elected as PDK chairman

Israel says it has eliminated another top Iranian commander

E-TJERA

50 thousand euros for the murder of Albi Bashaliu, how did Lorenc Lala live in Britain undetected for 4 years?

Politiko 2025-06-21 15:29:20

50 thousand euros for the murder of Albi Bashaliu, how did Lorenc Lala live in

Lorenc Lala was arrested two days ago in the United Kingdom after being declared internationally wanted as part of Laert Haxhiu's structured criminal group.

"The Telegraph" writes that Lala, although wanted as the suspected perpetrator of a blood feud murder in Albania, has managed to live in Great Britain for 4 years in hiding.

Lorenc Lala, 47, is alleged to have paid Laert Haxhiu a sum of 50,000 euros (£42,000) for the murder of Albi Bashaliu in 2021, a murder that occurred in the village of Gjocaj in Peqin.

Lala left Albania for Britain in the belief that this provided her with a safer location beyond the reach of European arrest warrants.

Since Britain left the EU, it is no longer part of the arrest warrant system.

“A new generation of Albanians involved in organised crime and wanted in Albania, Italy, Greece or Germany are entering the UK illegally mainly in the back of lorries,” said an expert on Albanian organised crime. 

"They are using the UK as a safe haven to avoid as much as they can any European arrest warrants issued for them."

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: "The UK cannot become some kind of safe haven for dangerous criminals. We need a crackdown on border security to ensure that illegal immigrants and dangerous criminals cannot enter the UK.

"I am concerned that this Albanian suspect may try to exploit our weak human rights laws to stay here. This is why the human rights act should be repealed for immigration matters."

Lala was arrested by the Metropolitan Police's extradition unit and appeared before Westminster magistrates on charges of conspiracy to commit murder in Albania.

He is currently being held in custody ahead of a further hearing in July, while Albania seeks to extradite him.

Latest news