Rexhep Bekteshi, the judge of the Court of Durrës has given the final decision in the drug container of bananas of “Bana King” (officially of the company “Ziko sh.a”) of the businessman Trifon Murataj.
He has decided to completely clear all charges against the company’s president Trifon Murataj, administrator Petrit Demishaj and the legal entity itself. The decision, which was announced on June 23, 2026 by judge Rexhep Bekteshi, has become final and can no longer be appealed.
In October 2022, the authorities discovered for the second time in the containers of this company, this time 33.5 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a container among the cargoes of bananas that arrived at the Port of Durrës.
However, the prosecution and the court process say that “Bana King” was not involved in smuggling. Rather, the company was the victim of international criminal networks that deliberately use legitimate trade routes to move cocaine from Latin America to Europe.
The law states that “Bana King” had notified the authorities of the danger almost two weeks before the merchandise arrived. That the company sent an official letter to the General Directorate of the State Police, Customs and Borders of Durrës warning that international trafficking groups operating in Ecuador were trying to hide cocaine among the cargoes of bananas it had ordered.
The president of the company, Trifon Murataj, explained in court that this is a standard security measure that he follows with high rigor since 2013, whenever he receives information that criminal groups try to “contaminate” his containers, as happened the last two times, and that cocaine was forgotten in the container by Italian traffickers.
The court even made an immediate return to Murataj of the property guarantee of 30 million ALL.
