Albanian journalist assaulted on road; series of crime incidents across Albania, Kosovo and neighboring states

Two men were charged by the Elbasan police for the assault of a journalist on the Librazhd‑Elbasan road, a crime classified as “Kanosja për shkak të detyrës”. The suspects, a 33‑year‑old from Tirana and a 31‑year‑old from Librazhd, were placed under investigation. In Pristina, a 30‑year‑old woman is suspected of repeatedly setting fires in a residential complex, damaging vehicles, an elevator and the building’s electrical system. Police have arrested her after several incidents. At the North‑Macedonia/Kosovo border between the villages of Tanushë and Mjak, a 43‑year‑old driver from Skopje was arrested for smuggling goods. Two vehicles – a Kosovo‑registered Volkswagen and a Skopje‑registered Peugeot – were seized. In Durrës, Albanian authorities detained two men wanted by Italy and Spain for international drug trafficking, illegal arms possession and participation in criminal organisations. Both are slated for extradition. A violent outbreak in a Shkodër health centre saw an 18‑year‑old stab a 32‑year‑old patient. The attacker’s brother later attempted to kill the suspect with a firearm; both the attacker and his 41‑year‑old brother were arrested. Italian police in Savona captured a 19‑year‑old Albanian with more than three kilograms of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, along with cash and packaging materials. Kosovo’s northern municipalities reported 51 cases of illegal weapons possession in the first half of 2026, resulting in multiple arrests and seizures of firearms, grenades and military gear. Tirana police raided eight businesses suspected of trading counterfeit luxury goods, seizing electronics, designer clothing and charging administrators with tax evasion and illegal trade. In Leicester, England, a 28‑year‑old Albanian was found dead; two suspects were arrested on suspicion of murder but later released pending further investigation. Authorities in Përmet uncovered an illegal slaughterhouse that discharged waste into the Vjosa River. The 62‑year‑old owner was arrested and fined for environmental and economic crimes.