In late December 2023, the Kosovo Special Prosecution received a criminal complaint from the police against Fabiana Anais Cobos Vega, a woman from Latin America, on suspicions of human trafficking. In July of the following year, the prosecution alleges that two women from Latin America were beaten by three men for not following the ‘rules’. 

According to the prosecution, these women were trafficked to Kosovo by Cobos Vega, a member of an organized criminal network, to work as escorts, but were subsequently forced into prostitution.

In April of 2026, more than two years after the prosecution received the case, two citizens of Albania appeared before the Prishtina Basic Court on suspicion of being involved in the trafficking network that brought women from Latin America to Prishtina and forced them into prostitution. The prosecution demanded pre-trial detention. 

One of the suspects,  Geri Hoxha, is the son of well known Albanian journalist Artan Hoxha who mainly covers organised crime. Artan Hoxha told BIRN that, “the case is under investigation; we do not have any file.”

The prosecution claims the network retained more than 50 per cent of the women’s earnings.

According to the prosecution file seen by BIRN, two women from Latin America, testified that they initially arrived at the Tirana International Airport and then travelled by bus to Prishtina in Kosovo, where they were accommodated in an apartment allegedly managed by a man identified as Batuhan Begion. 

The prosecution claims that the network coordinated its activities and arranged clients through mobile applications, including WhatsApp, and managed several other women in similar circumstances. The  accommodation was allegedly arranged through short-term rental platforms.

The prosecution also alleges the use of violence to enforce compliance. Two of the women told police they were physically assaulted by three individuals after failing to follow the group’s rules.

Authorities say the supposed organiser and several other suspects were already arrested months ago, including Cobos Vega who is currently in detention.

Meanwhile, on April 14, 2026, the Prishtina Basic Court decided that Albanian citizens Geri Hoxha and Reando Biba, would be released on bail set at 15, 000 euros each.

“There are reasonable grounds to suspect that the accused committed the criminal offenses attributed to them and, if released without any measures, may abscond; however, there is no risk of them repeating the offences they were charged with,” the pre-trial decision states. 

The prosecution alleges that Hoxha, a dental technician, conducted financial transactions linked to countries including Indonesia, Peru, and Spain, and maintained banking ties with the alleged ringleader.

According to the prosecution, Hoxha and Biba, who is an ambulance driver, have left traces in the entry-exit systems of these countries. 

Defence lawyers rejected the prosecution’s claims, arguing that the evidence presented so far does not meet the legal threshold for detention. 

Labinot Vata, representing Hoxha, told KALLXO.com that the case is based on “assumptions and speculation” rather than concrete proof, adding that his client has no criminal record.

Vata said that Hoxha has been cooperative and offered to speed up extradition proceedings, as the invitation from Kosovo’s institutions did not reach Albania.

“The invitation never arrived for Geri, which is why extradition was carried out. If there had been an invitation or something similar, Geri would have come voluntarily, and at our request bail was set. Someone from his family paid it,” Vata said.

Shpend Lushaku, Biba’s lawyer, presented a similar argument about how prosecutors failed to present detailed evidence linking his client to the alleged offences. According to Lushaku, Biba voluntarily agreed to be extradited. He also proposed to the court that a lighter measure be imposed, such as bail of 10,000 or 15,000 euros.

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