Albania’s Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Court has sentenced former interior minister Saimir Tahiri to three years and four months in prison for abuse of office.
The court found that Tahiri facilitated drug trafficking for a criminal group through his inaction and received bribes from members of a criminal organization during his term in officer.
The ex-head of the ministry was arrested in 2017 on charges of drug trafficking and participation in a criminal organisation. The prosecutor’s office demanded 12 years in prison.
However, the court dropped the charges, but found him guilty of abuse of office.
The ex-minister has repeatedly said he was innocent.
Saimir Tahiri served as minister of the interior of Albania from 2013 to 2017.
