Temporary detention was elected after testifying regarding five Albanian citizens in the city Hairwhich, according to investigators, for months extorted money at 19 year old boyhaving seized a total of about 7,500 euros.
As established during the investigation, starting from Easter 2025 the victim was subjected to systematic threats and pressure from the accused, who presented themselves as “defenders”, claiming that the young man was allegedly in danger and was obliged to pay them money for “protection”.
Using this pretext, they managed to lure him out of about 7,500 eurosand then demanded more 5,000 euros.
The case materials describe in detail multiple contacts with the victim, coercion to meet, as well as three counts of unlawful detainmentduring which a 19-year-old was transported by car against his will to remote and deserted places.
In one of these episodes, as follows from the testimony, one of the defendants hit him in the face with a weapon-like objectshowed cartridges and threatened to kill.
During the same period, family members tried to contact him by phone, but the young man, being in a state of severe fear, reached the point where took money from the cash register of his father’s storeto satisfy the ransomware’s demands.
His parents found him in a state of shock
The turning point was when the parents discovered their son traumatized and psychologically depressedafter which they contacted law enforcement agencies.
A formal complaint has been filed December 4and the very next day the police tried to carry out controlled transfer of money as part of an organized operation. However, the suspects did not show up for the scheduled meeting.
On the morning of the next day we carried out simultaneous police raids at the addresses of the suspects. As a result, they were detained five peoplewhile another possible participant in the case is wanted.
Detainees, including citizens of Greece and Albaniaare accused – depending on the role – of felony extortionattempted extortion, illegal imprisonment, robbery, illegal use of violence, threats, causing dangerous bodily harm, illegal carrying of weapons, misappropriation of property, as well as creation of a criminal group.
During their testimony, all the accused denied the fact of extortion, claiming that we were talking about personal conflictallegedly over a girl, and denied using a weapon, saying the incidents were limited to verbal altercations.
Based on the results of investigative actions three out of five accused were placed in custody by a joint decision of the investigator and the prosecutor, while in relation to the other two, more lenient measures were chosen, since their participation was considered limited or related to crimes of lesser gravity.
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