Albania dictator’s grandson jailed for cocaine trafficking

TIRANA, Albania – An Albanian court has jailed the grandson of the country’s late communist dictator and eight associates for trafficking cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe.

The Tirana Serious Crime Court on Tuesday jailed Ermal Hoxha for 10 years and the others, including two Colombians, for between 10 and 13 years.

Hoxha, 42, and the group were arrested in January 2015 after police seized about 120 kilograms (265 pounds) of cocaine, cash and weapons at their base not far from the capital, Tirana.

Hoxha is the eldest grandson of Enver Hoxha, who governed Albania with an iron fist from 1944 until his death in 1985 — five years before a student revolt overthrew the isolationist communist regime.