Albanian intelligence chief placed under house arrest

The Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecution (SPAK) of Albania has placed Vlora Hyseni, the head of the State Intelligence Service (SHISH), under house arrest. Hyseni is accused of disclosing classified state information to assist businessman Ergis Agasi in evading arrest. The case is part of a broader investigation into a criminal network involved in public tender manipulation.

While early reports indicated Hyseni was abroad, she subsequently returned to Albania via Kosovo, arriving from Baku, Azerbaijan, where she had attended a counter-terrorism forum. She surrendered to authorities at the Morina border crossing on September 22-23, 2026, and was transferred to Tirana. Following the issuance of an arrest warrant, she was suspended from her official duties.

The investigation has triggered significant political instability in Albania. Other figures involved in the broader probe include a forensic official who has already been arrested and former police chief Ilir Proda, who appeared before prosecutors. The investigation into the organized crime scheme has been ongoing since the arrest of Ergis Agasi on August 26, 2026, following his eight-month period as a fugitive.