Cannabis plantations in Kliqina and Sferka, indictment against nine people – one defendant also found with over 1,000 euros in counterfeit money

The Basic Prosecution Office in Peja, Department for Serious Crimes, has filed an indictment against defendants E.M., E.E., E.I., K.Q., Sh.Xh., M.Q., I.B., L.H. and E.H., on well-founded suspicion that they committed the criminal offences of “Cultivation of the hashish plant, the cocaine shrub or cannabis plants” and “Unauthorized purchase, possession, distribution and sale of narcotics, psychotropic and analogous substances,” as well as other criminal offences.

According to the indictment, the defendants, acting as members of a group during 2024 in the villages of Kliqina and Sferka in the municipality of Peja, cultivated narcotic plants of the cannabis sativa type, with the aim of producing and distributing narcotics.

“A total of 2,850 cannabis sativa plants were cultivated on two plots, and from these plants a narcotic of the cannabis sativa type was obtained in a total weight of over 1,035 kilograms and 712 grams, which was seized by the Kosovo Police during the execution of a search warrant on 27 September 2024.

According to the indictment, one of the defendants had been promised the sum of 15,000 euros for his involvement in cultivating the narcotics, while during the investigations, 1,540 euros in counterfeit banknotes were also found and seized from one of the defendants, which he is suspected of possessing with the intention of putting them into circulation,” the announcement states.

The announcement says that the investigative actions show the defendants are suspected of having undertaken actions to plant, cultivate, extract, dry and process the narcotic plants, as well as to secure the premises and means necessary for their transport.

On 27 September 2024, during the execution of the search warrant, the Kosovo Police found 2,850 cannabis sativa narcotic plants and over 1,035 kilograms and 712 grams of narcotics, which were seized.

In addition to the narcotics-related offences, one of the defendants is also charged with the criminal offence of “Counterfeiting money,” while another with “Unauthorized ownership, control or possession of weapons,” after a long AK-47 weapon, together with ammunition, was found and seized during the search.

The Basic Prosecution Office in Peja remains committed to fighting narcotics-related criminal offences and to undertaking all legal actions against persons suspected of involvement in such activities, Telegrafi reports.