An Appellation Court in Italy has left unchanged the sentence of 15 years in prison for Moisi Habilaj, cousin of Albanian former Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri. Habilaj was found guilty on charges of international drug traffic between Albania and Italy.

Tahiri was also accused of aiding his cousins’ international criminal organization and the Albanian prosecution requested the lift of immunity but the Socialist majority in the parliament voted against the prosecution’s request. Tahiri was cleared of drug traffic charge and was found guilty only for abuse of office.

Moisi Habilaj was accused also in Albania, but the court dropped the charges.

The Italian media reported Habilaj had agreed to cooperate with the authorities and offer information for any possible involvement of his cousin the minister in the drug traffic.

In an intercepted phone call, extracts of which have been published by Meridionews, Habilaj is heard speaking about police corruption in Albania.

“If you come to Albania, you understand the police are corrupted. Sometimes the chief (of police) himself helps us load the bags”, said Habilaj, who was also recorded once speak about of jewelry worth thousands of Euros as gift for the wife of a certain Saimir, without mentioning the surname though.