A court in Berat, Albania, has convicted a former senior intelligence official and his son on charges including illegal gambling, unlawful possession of ammunition, and the holding of state secrets.
The case was brought by the Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction, which stated that both men, Aleksandër Shulla, a former director of the State Intelligence Service (SHISH), and his son, Pandeli Shulla, faced a range of other criminal charges.
Court convicts former SHISH director and son
According to the prosecution statement in criminal proceedings no. 370/2023, authorities were tipped off that Pandeli Shulla was allegedly running an illegal gambling premise.
Authorities acted after receiving information that illegal games of chance were being played in a bar operated by Shulla in the 30 Vjetori neighbourhood.
Investigators would later confirm that computers and devices connected to the internet were running unlicensed gambling software resembling “Adex Casino games.”
Police investigators then raided the apartment of Shulla Senior, finding five live “7.62 mm caliber cartridges, a black handbag inside which seven “7.62 mm caliber cartridges, and two USBs with the inscriptions “Turbox” and “Kingston” were found.
Aleksandër Shulla stated that he “forgot” to hand over the ammunition after he left his director-level position.
On the drives themselves, the prosecutors described that “Two classified ‘secret’-level SHISH documents, which legally exist in single copies only, were found copied onto USB drives inside a private residence.”
The illegal gambling activity and the serious breach of classified information security led to the case being presented against both father and son.
Both men convicted of operating illegal gambling venue
The official prosecution statement read that both men were convicted of “Illegal online gambling operations conducted via computers in a bar environment. Unlawful retention of ammunition after dismissal from public office and unauthorised copying, possession, and exposure of classified intelligence materials, stored on USB drives.”
Both Albanian defendants received custodial sentences that were later reduced and suspended, resulting in probation. In addition, Aleksandër Shulla was barred from holding public office for five years.
The prosecution said the case demonstrated how an investigation into illegal gambling activity ultimately exposed a broader breach of classified information safeguards at the highest levels of public trust.
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