A 54-year-old man, wanted internationally for his involvement in criminal activities, has been deported to Albania after evading authorities for years. Leonard Mnella, also known as Leon Kolmnela or Leonard Kolmnela, had been declared deceased in 2003 in Latin America through a court decision issued by an Albanian court, despite being alive. Mnella, who had been sentenced to 25 years in prison by Italian judicial authorities, was apprehended in Michigan, United States, and subsequently deported to Albania.
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| Leonard Kolmnela is escorted by special police as soon as he got off the plane in Rinas |
The collaboration between the Criminal Police Department in Albania, the Diplomatic Security Service/Office of Criminal Investigations Unit (DSS/OCIU) at the United States Embassy in Tirana, and the United States Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (DHS/ICE-ERO) has been instrumental in locating and arresting Mnella.
The Court of Salerno in Italy had sentenced Mnella to 25 years in prison for his involvement in organized crime, kidnapping, attempted extortion, illegal arms trafficking, and large-scale drug trafficking. Now, Mnella will be subject to investigation in Albania for criminal events that occurred in the country in the past.
Interestingly, Mnella managed to evade authorities and assume a false identity after being declared deceased by an Albanian court in 2013, despite being alive. Through the exchange of information between Albanian and American agencies, Mnella was identified, located, and arrested in Michigan, USA, leading to his deportation to Albania.
The collaboration between law enforcement agencies, both domestic and international, highlights the importance of coordinated efforts in combating transnational crime. Moving forward, investigations into Mnella's alleged criminal activities will continue in cooperation with the prosecutor's office, aiming for a thorough examination and prosecution of his crimes.
Mnella's deportation to Albania serves as a significant step in the pursuit of justice and underscores the commitment of law enforcement agencies to hold individuals accountable for their actions, regardless of their attempts to evade justice through deception and false identities.