The Albanian Border Police in Saranda have successfully intercepted another case of human trafficking, arresting a 41-year-old man who was caught transporting four illegal migrants inside Albanian territory. This operation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by border authorities in preventing illegal migration and human smuggling through the southern borders of Albania.
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| Ali Osmanaj while being arrested by Border Officers |
According to the official statement from the Saranda Border Police, the suspect — identified as Ali Peposhi, also known by the alias Ali Osmanaj, a 41-year-old man born in Tropoja and residing in Tirana — was caught in flagrante delicto while driving a KIA vehicle with license plate number AB 207 VA. The arrest took place along the Xarrë–Çukë road, a route known for being frequently used by traffickers to move migrants toward the country’s interior regions.
Details of the Arrest
During the police operation, authorities stopped the suspect’s vehicle for inspection and discovered four foreign nationals inside, all of whom had entered Albanian territory illegally through the so-called “green border,” avoiding official checkpoints and border control systems.
The operation was carried out after intelligence and field surveillance suggested that Peposhi was engaged in another illegal transport of migrants. Once the vehicle was intercepted, police officers detained him and escorted the migrants for identification and further verification of their status.
Authorities reported that the four migrants were attempting to travel further into Albania, possibly aiming to reach Western European countries via the northern routes that connect to Kosovo and Montenegro — paths frequently used by illegal migrant networks in the Balkans.
A Repeat Offender
What makes this case particularly notable is that Ali Peposhi is not new to law enforcement. Police records confirm that he had previously been arrested twice for the same criminal offense — in 2020 in Tirana and again in 2023 in Korçë. Both times, he was charged under Albania’s penal code for “Assisting illegal border crossing”, an offense that carries significant prison penalties.
Despite these previous arrests, Peposhi apparently continued his involvement in migrant smuggling, suggesting either weak enforcement of sentencing or the profitability of such criminal activities within organized trafficking networks. His latest arrest indicates a pattern of recidivism, which authorities believe is linked to broader smuggling rings operating across the region.
The Route and Modus Operandi
The southern Albanian border, especially the areas around Konispol, Xarrë, and Çukë, has become a major transit point for migrants coming from the Middle East and Africa who cross into Albania from Greece. Many of them pay smugglers like Peposhi large sums of money to be transported safely across Albania toward northern borders, hoping to reach countries like Italy, Germany, or France.
Typically, smugglers use small vehicles to move migrants in groups of two to six people, choosing secondary roads to avoid police patrols and checkpoints. These operations are highly organized, often coordinated through encrypted messaging apps and involving multiple intermediaries who arrange transport, shelter, and further travel logistics.
In this case, the KIA vehicle used by Peposhi had been modified to conceal passengers and minimize visibility from outside, indicating premeditation and experience in evading detection.
Official Statement and Legal Proceedings
The Saranda Police Directorate released a statement emphasizing their ongoing commitment to combating human smuggling and illegal migration across Albania’s borders. The statement read:
“As part of the continuous operations to prevent and combat illegal border crossings and human trafficking, the Saranda Border Police have successfully stopped another case, arresting citizen A.P. (alias A.O.), aged 41, for transporting four illegal migrants inside the territory.”
The Prosecutor’s Office of Saranda has taken over the investigation, and Peposhi now faces charges under Article 298 of the Albanian Criminal Code — “Assisting illegal border crossing”. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison, depending on the degree of involvement and previous convictions.