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| Sokrat Vata, 29, who was previously convicted in the UK in 2024 before returning to Albania, was arrested by Fier Police following the fatal stabbing of a French tourist in Ksamil. |
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| Police capture 29-year-old suspect Sokrat Vata hiding inside the trunk of a car on the Levan highway following the fatal stabbing of 20-year-old French tourist Miguel Mendes in Ksamil. |
According to preliminary information, Vata was discovered hiding inside the trunk of a car during a police checkpoint, as authorities intensified searches for the suspect following the fatal incident.
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| Red and white police tape cordons off the perimeter near the "Principotes" beach bar in Ksamil, where 20-year-old French tourist Miguel Mendes was found dead following an early-morning confrontation. |
French Tourist Found Dead in Ksamil
The tragedy occurred at around 5:15 a.m., when Miguel Mendes was found without signs of life on sun loungers near the “Principotes” beach bar in Ksamil.
Mendes had reportedly traveled to southern Albania with a group of French tourists.
According to preliminary investigative information, the young Frenchman had become involved in a confrontation with Sokrat Vata. Investigators are reportedly examining whether the dispute began over a minor disagreement and possibly involved a woman.
The confrontation allegedly escalated outside the venue. Mendes was reportedly taken from the bar toward the entrance, where Vata is suspected of attacking him several times with a knife, striking him in the back and chest.
The injuries proved fatal.
The exact circumstances of the confrontation and the sequence of events remain under investigation.
Suspect Allegedly Tried to Escape in a Car Trunk
Following the killing, Sokrat Vata reportedly fled the scene and remained at large for several hours.
Police in Sarandë had received information that the 29-year-old was attempting to leave the city. Authorities subsequently alerted police directorates throughout southern Albania amid suspicions that he could be heading toward Tirana or his hometown of Has.
Several checkpoints were established along national roads.
During one of these operations, Fier Police officers stopped a vehicle on the Levan highway and discovered the suspected killer allegedly hiding in its trunk.
Vata was subsequently arrested and is now facing the investigation into the death of the French tourist.
Ksamil Left in Shock
The killing has caused deep concern among tourists and residents in Ksamil, particularly because the incident occurred in an area heavily frequented by visitors and families.
Tourists reportedly expressed shock that such a violent incident could occur in one of Albania's best-known holiday destinations during the busy summer season.
The case has also renewed concerns about security in tourist areas, particularly around nightlife venues where large numbers of visitors gather during the summer.
Suspect Had Previously Been Convicted in the UK
Another significant detail emerging from the investigation concerns Sokrat Vata's previous legal history in the United Kingdom.
According to BBC reporting, Vata was sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison by Cambridge Crown Court after pleading guilty to multiple offenses.
The charges reportedly included two counts of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, two counts of dangerous driving, possession of cannabis and driving under the influence of drugs.
He had reportedly been involved in two police pursuits in Kent and Cambridge. During one of those incidents, police reportedly discovered cocaine and vehicle registration plates.
How and when Vata returned to Albania after his conviction in Britain remains a matter requiring clarification.
Sokrat Vata's Previous Criminal Record in the UK
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Sokrat Vata, the 29-year-old suspect in the death of French tourist Miguel Mendes in Ksamil, has a previous criminal record in the United Kingdom.
According to reporting by the BBC, Vata was sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison by Cambridge Crown Court after pleading guilty to several offenses related to drug trafficking and dangerous driving.
At the time, Vata was 27 years old and had been involved in two separate police pursuits in Cambridge and Kent. On April 13, 2024, on the A20 near East Malling, he reportedly failed to stop when ordered by police. During the ensuing pursuit, the vehicle he was driving overturned. Police found bags containing cocaine and vehicle registration plates inside the car.
On April 30, Vata was reportedly involved in another police pursuit in Cambridge while driving a stolen vehicle. According to the BBC, he abandoned the car and fled on foot, allegedly throwing a package containing cocaine into a bush as he escaped.
British police later found him hiding in the rear garden of a property in Cambridge. Officers reportedly found £560 in cash in his pockets, while additional vehicle registration plates were seized from the car. Tests also showed that he had been driving under the influence of drugs.
On September 25, 2024, Cambridge Crown Court sentenced Vata to five years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, two counts of dangerous driving, possession of cannabis, and driving while unfit through drugs.
His previous conviction in Britain is now drawing renewed attention following his arrest in connection with the death of Miguel Mendes in Ksamil. However, the circumstances surrounding his return to Albania after serving his sentence, as well as the full details of the current case, remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.