TIRANA, Albania (A2 CNN) — Gramoz Rexhepi, an Albanian criminal accused of orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of Jan Prenga, has been formally charged after his extradition from Turkey. The 63-year-old faces charges in the Special Court, with his trial postponed to January 24 due to the absence of defense attorney Korado Kështenja.
Rexhepi, arrested in November 2023 in Istanbul with a fake Colombian passport, was wanted for his role in the 2020 abduction of Jan Prenga in Kamzë, which followed a suspected drug-related conflict. Prenga’s body has never been recovered. Rexhepi allegedly ordered the abduction in retaliation for the theft of a cocaine shipment by Prenga’s brother, Astrit.
Alongside Rexhepi, six other individuals are accused, including Aldo Majnishta, Artan Doçaj, Dritan Rexhepi, Gentian Funiqi, Geraldo Martini, and Korado Kështenja. All but Rexhepi remain at large.
Rexhepi has a lengthy criminal history, including a 25-year sentence for the 1999 murders of two men in Fushë Krujë, one of whom was a police officer. His criminal activities span multiple countries, including drug trafficking operations across Europe and Latin America.