Albanian police have arrested three men with criminal records in a major operation targeting illegal arms trafficking in Tirana. One of those arrested is Ilir Zyberi, 55, previously known as Ilir Avdillari, a convicted murderer with a long criminal history.

Zyberi was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the 1998 killing of Italian businessman Stefano Rossi, who was shot dead shortly after withdrawing a large sum of money from a bank in Tirana. He was also linked to the notorious Yzberisht gang active during the 1997–1998 unrest and had been suspected in around 20 criminal offenses.

After his release from prison, Zyberi was again arrested in 2017 during a police operation that uncovered drugs and weapons. Most recently, he was caught attempting to sell Kalashnikov rifles as part of a criminal group.

The operation, code-named “Anëtarët” (The Members), was carried out after three months of proactive investigations by Tirana Police in cooperation with prosecutors. Alongside Zyberi, police arrested Artur Brahimaj, 63, previously convicted of drug trafficking and fraud, and Artur Rushiti, 46, previously convicted of aggravated assault. Another suspect, E.S., 28, has been declared wanted.

Police seized five firearms and military-grade ammunition, believed to have been intended for sale in the Tufina and Fresk areas of Tirana. Investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other individuals connected to the group, while case files have been forwarded to the prosecution for further legal action.