Sentenced to 26 years in prison for sexual abuse of minors, 67-year-old Albanian extradited from Brazil

Interpol Tirana has finalised the procedure for the extradition from Brazil to Albania of a 67-year-old man from Shkodra, sentenced to 26 years in prison for criminal offences against minors.

The extradition was carried out as part of the operation codenamed “The Wanted”, by specialists of the Interpol Tirana Directorate and their counterparts in Brazil.

Artef Lekaj had been declared internationally wanted, after the Shkodra Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction sentenced him to 26 years in prison for the criminal offences “Sexual or homosexual relations with minors” and “Sexual harassment”. The decision became final after review by the Tirana Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction.

According to the State Police, during 2020–2021 the 67-year-old sexually harassed a 10-year-old minor and sexually abused another minor, aged 15.

After his arrival in Albania, specialists for the Investigation of Crimes at the Shkodra Police Commissariat executed the criminal decision of the Court of Appeal.