The 'killer of taxi drivers', Ervin Shahini, is extradited from North Korea

Ervin Shahini alias Spartak Lazaj, 50, known as the 'taxi driver killer' has been extradited from North Korea. In the period of 1995, using knives, Shahini killed and injured taxi drivers.

After the murder or injury, Shahini would take their tools and leave the scene. The 50-year-old has committed 4 criminal events and during the 1997 riots he escaped from Albania illegally.

Shahini used another identity to avoid arrest.

"Following the cooperation between the State Police, law-enforcement agencies inside and outside the country and counterparts, for the provision and exchange of information with the aim of capturing and extraditing to mutual countries the wanted and the most wanted, it has become possible to finalize the extradition operation from Seoul/Republic of Korea to our country, of the Albanian citizen Ervin Shahini alias Spartak Lazaj, 50 years old, resident in Tirana.

This citizen was declared internationally wanted, after the Court of Appeal, Tirana, sentenced him to life imprisonment for the criminal offenses "Theft with violence resulting in death", "Theft with violence", carried out in collaboration and "Removing the prisoner from place of residence".

Brief history of criminal events:

This citizen, at various times in 1995, using cold weapons (knives), killed and injured citizens who worked as taxi drivers.

After billing them as taxis, to go to the desired destinations, this citizen hit the drivers with a knife, took their vehicles and left the scene.

He used the same mechanism in all events, namely:

- on 15.05.1995, in cooperation with the citizens AM and NK, he wounded the citizens PB and AA with a knife;

- on 10.07.1995, wounded SH citizen with a knife;

- on 27.08.1995, killed the citizen Xh. A.;

- on 27.10.1995, wounded citizen II with a knife;

During the riots of March 1997, this citizen escaped and left Albania illegally.

The Interpol Directorate, since 2015, has exchanged multiple correspondences with counterpart offices and other law enforcement agencies, with the aim of locating and then provisionally arresting this citizen, in order to extradite him to our country.

Finally, information was provided that this citizen was sheltered in the Republic of Korea. From the information and verifications, it turned out that the citizen Ervin Shahini used the identity of another Albanian citizen to avoid arrest" , the police announced.