A shadow fell over Albania’s intelligence community as a court in Berat delivered a stunning verdict against a former spymaster and his son. Aleksandër Shulla, once director of the State Intelligence Service (SHISH), and his son, Pandeli, now face the consequences of a web of illicit activities that reached the highest levels of state security.
The investigation began with a simple tip: an illegal gambling operation flourishing within a seemingly ordinary bar in the 30 Vjetori neighborhood. Authorities soon discovered more than just games of chance; they uncovered a clandestine venue running unlicensed software mirroring the allure of “Adex Casino games.”
But the probe didn’t stop there. A subsequent raid on Aleksandër Shulla’s apartment revealed a far more alarming discovery – not just five, but eventually fourteen cartridges of 7.62 mm caliber ammunition hidden within a handbag. The former director claimed a simple lapse in memory, stating he’d “forgotten” to surrender the ammunition after leaving his post.
The true gravity of the situation unfolded with the examination of two USB drives, labeled “Turbox” and “Kingston.” These weren’t filled with personal photos or music; they contained copies of classified SHISH documents, marked “secret” – documents that, by law, should have existed in only a single, secure location.
The prosecution painted a damning picture: illegal gambling, unlawful possession of ammunition, and a blatant disregard for national security. The father and son were convicted of operating the illicit gambling venue, retaining ammunition after leaving public service, and, most critically, unauthorized copying and possession of highly sensitive intelligence materials.
While initially sentenced to custodial terms, both men ultimately received suspended sentences and were placed on probation. Aleksandër Shulla’s career, however, is definitively over; he is barred from holding any public office for the next five years.
This case serves as a stark warning, a chilling illustration of how a seemingly localized investigation into illegal gambling can unravel a far-reaching breach of trust and compromise the security of a nation. It exposed vulnerabilities at the very core of Albania’s intelligence apparatus.
The prosecution emphasized that the investigation wasn’t merely about illegal games or forgotten ammunition; it was about the erosion of safeguards protecting the nation’s most vital secrets, a betrayal of public trust that demanded accountability at the highest levels.
