Man arrested in UK amid allegations of involvement in Kosovo casino armed robbery

A MAN has been arrested in the UK in connection with the armed robbery of a casino in Kosovo more than four years ago.

Liridon Tahiri, 24, of an unknown address was brought before Westminster Magistrates' Court after being held under an arrest warrant issued by Kosovo.

Kosovo alleges that on January 27 2017 he conspired with others to rob the ACT casino of 5,700 Euros.

It also alleges that on the same day he was in possession of a black hunting rifle with intent to endanger life.

A third charge he faces is that on February 2017 he escaped from lawful custody after being remanded into pre-trial detention.

Tahiri, who was arrested by the Met Police, did not consent to extradition and was remanded into custody ahead of a further hearing and the case was adjourned.

Bail was refused as it was felt he was likely to abscond and due to the nature and seriousness of the alleged offences.

Casino robberies have been a problem in Albania and Kosovo for a number of years.

In January 2019 Albania banned gambling in a bid to crackdown on organised crime and money laundering.

Kosovo, one of Europe's poorest countries, followed suit two months later after the murder of two casino employees at different venues in the same week.