Albanian flipped over van with 49 migrants near Pirot! He entered plea bargain, this is how long he will serve

Photo: D.K.

A citizen of Albania residing in Tirana has been sentenced to three years and eight months in prison for four crimes he committed in the territory of Serbia.

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He was arrested on July 26, 2024, after he ran a van he was driving off the road, with the vehicle overturning on the Nis-Pirot road. The Albanian was trying to escape the police while transporting 49 illegal migrants in the van.

42 people were injured and treated in hospitals in Pirot and Nis.

"The verdict was handed down to the defendant on the basis of the agreement on admitting to the criminal offense, that he concluded with the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Pirot and which was confirmed by the Higher Court. He was sentenced to a single prison sentence of three years and eight months for the crimes of unauthorized crossing of the state border and people smuggling, a serious offense against public traffic safety, unauthorized production, possession and distribution of narcotic drugs and separate cases of document forgery," the Higher Court in Pirot announced.

There were 47 Afghan and two Nepalese citizens in the van that was moving from of Pirot towards Nis. It was spotted on the highway near Pirot, so the border police went after it, but the driver decided to try to escape and caused the traffic accident by speeding.

He managed to flee the scene before the police arrived, but was soon found and arrested. Narcotics were also found in his possession, and it was established that he also had forged documents.

After medical treatment, the migrants were taken to the "Fourth Kilometer" Shelter, and the Commissariat for Refugees provided them with all the necessities as well as psychological and social support.

(Telegraf.rs)