An Albanian wanted by UK police in connection with a brutal gangland assassination has handed himself to police in his home country, the Mail can reveal.
Armando Marku, 26, accompanied by his lawyer, presented himself at a police station in Tirana, Albania’s capital, yesterday morning.
He told officers that he had recently seen Albanian television news reports stating that he was wanted by UK authorities.
‘I am willing to be extradited to the UK,’ he said, not giving any further comments.
Marku had been sought by Cleveland Police for seven years after being named as a suspect in the murder of cannabis dealer Hemawand Ali Hussain, 30, in 2019.
The father was shot at point-blank range with a sawn-off shotgun after arriving at a house for what he thought was a meeting with drug dealers.
After the killing, Marku left the UK and travelled across Europe before returning to Albania.
Four men have already been jailed over Mr Hussein’s death.
Armando Marku, 26, accompanied by his lawyer, presented himself at a police station in Tirana, Albania’s capital, this morning
After the killing, Marku – pictured on CCTV – left the UK and travelled across Europe before returning to Albania
Eugert Merizaj was jailed for life with a minimum term of 32 years for murder, while Noza Saffari, 40, Dorian Pirija, 34, and 26-year-old Qazim Marku received prison terms of between 15 and 19 years for manslaughter.
Earlier this month, Cleveland Police announced that another man, Sajmir Dodoveci, 40, had been charged with murder after being arrested at a railway station in Brussels two days before Christmas.
A 34-year-old man was also arrested in Belgium in February 2024 and arrangements are being made for him to be extradited to stand trial.
In the same announcement, police announced they were still seeking Mr Marku in connection with the murder.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Lyndsey Dale from Cleveland Police said: ‘All our thoughts remain with Mr Hussain’s family and with his wife and sons who are being kept up to date with developments throughout.
‘We’ll now be doubling down on our efforts to locate and arrest Armando Marku who is still wanted in connection with this murder.
‘We will not stop and we will use all available methods to find him.’
Hemawand Ali Hussain was shot at point-blank range with a sawn-off shotgun after arriving at a house for what he thought was a meeting with drug dealers
DI Dale urged Mr Marku to come forward.
‘I urge anyone who has information about Armando Marku or his current location to come forward. Even the smallest detail could assist our investigation.
‘And when Mr Marku sees this update, as I am sure he will, I’d urge him to come forward and hand himself into to local law enforcement since it’s only a matter of time before the police come to him and effect his arrest.’
A police source in Tirana told the Mail: ‘After Armando Marku handed himself in to our police directorate we arrested him and our colleagues from Tirana Interpol have now notified the UK police.’
Cleveland Police confirmed it had been informed of Mr Marku’s arrest.
The Mail recently revealed that the man convicted of murdering Mr Hussain, Eugert Merizaj, is set to be transferred from his British jail to one in Albania as part of an £4million-a-year prisoner transfer scheme.
The murderer has been locked up at HMP Manchester, where he regularly livestreams from his cell in breach of prison rules.
In one clip posted in August, Merizaj confirmed he had applied to be transferred to Albania as part of a deal struck in 2023.
The Mail recently revealed that Eugert Merizaj – who was jailed for Mr Hussain’s murder – is set to be transferred from his British jail to an Albanian one
Under the agreement, Britain is expected to pay Albania £4million a year to repatriate 200 of its most dangerous criminals, who have been jailed for offences including murder, rape, burglary, and drug dealing.
However, the scheme has been dogged by delays, and a source at the Albanian Prison Service told the Mail that only 11 Albanian prisoners have been transferred so far.
On November 11, a judge sitting in the southern Albanian city of Fier accepted Merizaj’s application and recognised the prison sentence given by the English court.











