Former Albanian government aide charged in NY with murder to be extradited to US

Albanian to be extradited to US for crimes in NY

TIRANA, Albania — An Albanian court has decided to extradite a former government aide to the U.S., where he is charged with murder, kidnapping and racketeering for crimes in New York.

The Tirana district court agreed Thursday to the FBI’s request to send Almir Rrapo, 27, to the U.S., where he faces an indictment from a federal court in Manhattan.

Rrapo, a former senior aide to the Albanian deputy prime minister, was arrested in July following a U.S. request.

He is accused of being part of an international crime organization, along with 16 other people, that engaged in murder, kidnapping, narcotics trafficking, extortion, robbery, arson and other crimes.

Rrapo’s lawyer said Thursday he would appeal the verdict.