A police operation two weeks ago led to the seizure of 4 pistols destined for Saranda. The operation took place in the Skërfica tunnel on the Kardhiq-Delvinë axis and led to the arrest of 31-year-old Kejdi Banaj. During his testimony, Banaj compromised another person, namely 26-year-old E. S. from Tirana, who in fact turned out to be wanted for a similar charge in March of this year.
As revealed by the investigation file, the police information was that a vehicle rented from Kejdi Banaj would have several firearms hidden in it. The information was that Banaj would then load this vehicle into a cart, which he uses, where he would then head towards Saranda. It is suspected that in Lushnje he would also take about 500 grams of cocaine. which he would bring to Saranda to sell in small doses. According to information obtained in the operational route by the police, it was suspected that the person possessing the narcotics was from Lushnje, unidentified, but would accompany him in a car from behind to Saranda.
After the pursuit, this vehicle was stopped at the location called "Skërficës Tunnel" at 16:15, with the driver, citizen Kejdi Bana, where after a search of the vehicle, a black plastic bag was found in the rear of the vehicle, under the right-hand passenger's upholstery, inside which four "Glock" type firearms were found.
Banaj himself has shown himself to be cooperative with the police by showing both his cell phone code and his associates. He stated that he lives in Tirana, where he has a real estate office in Astir. On 14.07.2026, at around 13:00, a citizen named E., his last name is not remembered, the son of “M…” who lives on “Rrugën e Kavajës” went to his business to look for him. He was not there, he met his father and got his phone number, called him on the phone and went to his house with his wife and daughter. For this, the calls on his personal phone with code 2580 can be verified. He asked him to find him an apartment and a rental car in Saranda. The three of them left together and with his brother-in-law, whose name I do not know, to Saranda in a car. On 15.07.2026 at around 08:00, he told her to go get something in Tirana and that he would pay her 150 euros to be the driver. He left the car with someone and took the “Citroen” car, with the license plate AB 302 SF, from where I don’t know. They left and when they got to Tirana, they stopped near “Hotel I….”, on the highway at “Qafa e Kasharit”, where he got out of the car with his brother-in-law, took a black bag of briars and came to the car, put it behind the seat at his feet and told her to go to Saranda. He took a “Skoda” vehicle, gray in color, that they had left there, and that he knew there were illegal items and weapons in the car but thought they were toys.
But at the hearing to determine the security measure against him, Banaj revealed other details. "I have been a drug dealer for years and I don't know how the incident happened. They took me to my house and I didn't know at all. I was not aware of how the incident happened in the specific case, I continue to be not sober. I have stated the whole truth. E… S… took me. I have known him for 20 years. He came to me and told me that we were going to go to Saranda to find a house to spend a few days at the beach. He was with his wife and child. We hadn't met for a while. We left his wife in Elbasan, went to Tirana, he took an order and put her in my car, while he took another car. On the way, something happened, I was caught, he ran away because he was in front of the car. When they caught me, I realized what I had in the car. The black bag he left in my car he took with his brother-in-law in Tirana and I didn't know what was there. "He came to see me unexpectedly, I hadn't seen him for 4 years. At first he asked my father for me, he got my phone number, then he met me," he said.
The court imposed the security measure "Arrest in prison" on Banaj, while it is not known whether his associates have been declared wanted.
