Albanian tomatoes with high levels of pesticides, Prosecution signs arrest warrants

Following the return of tons of tomatoes from Croatia, the Berat prosecutor's office has signed arrest warrants.

Top Channel reports that three people were arrested in an operation by the Economic and Financial Crime Section of the police and the Berat Prosecutor's Office.

After the investigative and procedural actions carried out, it resulted that the Croatian authorities have ascertained and subsequently destroyed a quantity of approximately 8 tons of tomatoes exported by the entity "Era-Fruit", with the administrator citizen Mariglen Qorri, this quantity which after analysis results in a level of the preparation "Chlorfenapyr" above the permitted norms, 0.06 mg/kg from 0.01 mg/kg which it should be.

Regarding this quantity, it appears that citizen Mariglen Qorri has issued a fictitious purchase invoice from a farmer and has used this invoice for customs practices and the traceability report maintained by the AKU Berat, thus trying to avoid his legal responsibility for the product he has produced and traded.

From the investigative actions it results that this quantity of tomatoes dangerous to human health was produced and then exported by citizen Mariglen Qorri himself.

Also from the investigative actions it results that the inspectors of the AKU Berat, citizens Ronaldo Lika and Griselda Doksani, after notification from the Rasff system, carried out an inspection on 29.08.2025 at the entity "Era Fruit" and during this inspection they did not ascertain the quantity of tomatoes found in the entity's warehouse, thus completing the practice as if there were no tomatoes in the warehouse.

They are suspected of not having blocked and taken samples for analysis of this product. These inspectors are suspected of having accepted as regular the fictitious invoice issued by citizen Mariglen Qorri, not signed by the farmer/seller, based on it the product traceability report and thus distorting the facts regarding the origin of the product found to be problematic.

Also, samples were seized and taken for analysis of various products such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers found in the "Era Fruit" entity, these products suspected of being contaminated.

For the above, the following citizens were detained:

Mariglen Maliq Qorri, born on 06.01.1985, Owner of the entity "Era fruit" as a suspect for the criminal offenses "Importing, producing, selling and storing food dangerous to human health or life", "Fraud with food products" and "Forgery of documents", provided for by articles 288, 288/c and 186 of the Criminal Code.

Ronaldo Agim Lika, born on 07.08.1998, food safety inspector at the AKU Berat, as a suspect for the criminal offense of "Abuse of office", provided for by Article 248 of the Penal Code.

⁠Griselda Genci Doksani, born on 05.12.2000, food safety inspector at the AKU Berat, as a suspect for the criminal offense of "Abuse of office", provided for by Article 248 of the Penal Code.

The procedural materials are transferred to the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Berat for further investigative actions.