An Albanian police officer was killed earlier today in the northern city of Lezha during an anti-cannabis operation.
After a five-hour manhunt, Albanian authorities apprehended the culprit, who had suffered a self-inflicted wound. The 21-year-old has been transferred to a hospital in Tirana and is in serious condition.
On Tuesday morning, 45-year-old Saimir Hoxha and his colleagues stopped Aldi Rama’s car to conduct a search after finding a cannabis parcel nearby. Rama shot Hoxha and ran away, abandoning the car along the way.
The Albanian Police deployed special police forces and helicopters to search the area for Rama.
Rama had already been sentenced by a Lezha court to three years and four months in prison for theft and drug possession in 2018. The court had reduced the sentence, requiring only community service because of Rama’s extenuating circumstances, as the child of divorced parents who was raised by his grandfather.
President Ilir Meta expressed his condolences on Facebook, writing that the fight against organized crime must be a priority.
US Ambassador to Albania, Yuri Kim, posted her condolences on Twitter.
Deepest condolences to family & colleagues of the Albanian State Police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Police & other first responders face danger on behalf of all citizens, and we are grateful for their heroism. We hope the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
— Ambassador Yuri Kim (@USAmbAlbania) September 28, 2021
