Albanian oil businessman arrested

The 52-year-old resident in Tirana was declared international in search of Interpol Tirana on January 7th 2016, after the Court of the Judiciary Circle has decided on the appointment of a security measure “Arrest to prison” for the criminal work of “smugglers with goods paying excise.

Tirana's prosecution today sought 15 years in prison for the businessman of Thea Construction and Petrol, on which charges of withholding revenue, tax evasion, as well as money laundering.

The investigation found that the businessman had caused the state a 2m-euro damage. Former customs director Lula Njebza, who according to the Prosecutor's Office has violated the task, is also accused of having been freed for 5 years.

According to the prosecutor, the businessman had received permission from the customs authorities to transport oil “vigin”, owned by the warehouses of Mazezi, in Tirana, to the warehouses near the oil processing refinery in Balls.

But 4.4 million litres of oil were distributed through gas stations in various cities in Albania, being sold on the free market.