Albanian arms ring bust (LCN connection)

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Wiseguy
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Albanian arms ring bust (LCN connection)

Post by Wiseguy »

Staten Island man charged with brokering sale of anti-tank rocket launcher and fifteen AK-47 rifles in Kosovo he believed would go to Mexican gangs on US border
By Hannah Parry For Dailymail.com
June 28, 2017



A Staten Island man has been arrested for allegedly selling more than a dozen AK-47s and an anti-tank rocket launcher in Kosovo.

Albert Veliu is among eight defendants charged with money laundering, extortion, and international arms trafficking after he was caught trying to sell the weapons to an undercover agent.

The 34-year-old was reportedly caught on a wiretap arranging the arms deal - where he would refer to rifles as 'sneakers' and the M80 Zolja Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher as a 'Shaq-sized sneaker' referring to the 7ft1in famous basketball player Shaquille O'Neal, said authorities.

Albert Veliu (pictured) is among eight defendants charged with money laundering, extortion, and international arms trafficking after he was caught trying to sell the weapons to an undercover agent.

He was told that the guns he was arranging to sell, were bound for a Mexican drug cartel battling rivals near the US border, according to the criminal complaint.

The deal was allegedly arranged to settle a mob extortion debt, officials said.

It first came to the authorities attention after a secret informant reported that one of Veliu's fellow defendant's, Christopher Curanovic, who was serving time for racketeering conspiracy, was trying to shake him down for money.

The informant says he owed Curanovic $40,000 who had paid off his protection money debt to the Genovese organized crime family, according to the complaint.

Curanovic then began sending the informant threatening text messages from prison chasing the debt.

He told Curanovic he couldn't pay him back but arranged for a second informant to arrange for the defendant to get a cut of the profits from a drug-trafficking operation. However, that money would require laundering.

Officials say Curanovic and his fellow defendants laundered about $800,000 in purported drug proceeds, through using supposedly 'clean checks' supported by fake documents.

Veliu was caught trying to sell more than a dozen AK-47s and an anti-tank rocket launcher in Kosovo (pictured are some of the recovered weapons from the deal. Veliu was caught trying to sell more than a dozen AK-47s and an anti-tank rocket launcher in Kosovo (pictured are some of the recovered weapons from the deal). Curanovic and Veliu also colluded to sell five pounds of marijuana to a source, authorities said.

The second informant then introduced Veliu to someone he claimed was a street gang boss, but was actually yet another police informant. The 'gang boss' and Veliu reportedly discussed more potential money laundering schemes and buying firearms in Eastern Europe.

Veliu informed the DEA confidential source that he had access to firearms in Kosovo for distribution and flew to the country to arrange the sale of more than a dozen AK-47s and the M80 Zolja Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher equipped with a 64 millimeter rocker.

But little did he know that the 'buyer' was also part of the international sting.

Veliu was arrested, along with fellow defendants Anthony Noterile, Dilber Kukic, Ekram Sejdija, Xhevat Gocaj, Agim Rugova, and Alban Veliu who are charged in connection with the money laundering scheme.

Search warrants conducted by Kosovo law enforcement netted additional weapons, ammunition and over 60,000 euros in cash.

DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt stated, 'This investigation has shut down an illegal and violent source of weapons in our backyard. In this case, DEA defines weapons as guns and drugs since both are the source of murder and fatal accidents.

Velio was arrested, along with fellow defendants Anthony Noterile, Dilber Kukic, Ekram Sejdija, Xhevat Gocaj, Agim Rugova, and Alban Veliu who are charged in connection with the money laundering scheme.

'As alleged, extortion, gun trafficking, robbery, and money laundering were some crimes that unfolded as we investigated a drug trafficking operation based in New York City with ties to Kosovo. I would like to thank the brave men and women from our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners for their cooperation and hard work.'

'This case demonstrates the increasingly global reach of our investigations and marks the important disruption a money laundering, drug trafficking, and arms trafficking network that extended into Europe and involved criminals who were prepared to provide a pipeline of dangerous weapons,' stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde.

'Through our partnerships with law enforcement agencies around the world, we will continue to target and dismantle criminal organizations.' Ms. Rohde thanked the DEA New York Strike Force, DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Austria Country Office, DEA Croatia Country Office, the New York City Department of Investigation, and the Kosovo Police Force.

The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ncher.html




Excerpt from press release -

As alleged in the complaint and a detention memorandum, the investigation revealed that Christopher Curanovic, an associate of La Cosa Nostra, sought to recover an extortionate debt from a former criminal associate. Through the use of wiretap evidence and confidential sources working at the direction of law enforcement, agents were able to determine that Veliu, Curanovic and Noterile, another associate of La Cosa Nostra, devised an illicit scheme in which a money laundering operation would facilitate the re-payment of Curanovic’s extortionate debt.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/st ... teen-ak-47




Curanovic was identified as a Colombo associate back in 2008. I wonder who the Genovese associate that was owed the money is?
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Re: Albanian arms ring bust (LCN connection)

Post by Villain »

US arms dealers are selling all kinds weapons in Kosovo since the days of the Cilnton administration and many of those same weapons ended up in different countries. Theres a lot of talk these days that theres some kind of an internal conflict between the two main administrations in Kosovo. The last year more than few businessmen and political associates were killied over there and also a lot rpgs and bombs were also used during some of the attacks.

Anyways thanks for the news Wiseguy
Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God - Corinthians 6:9-10
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