For more than a decade, Besnik Kelmendi has been under US sanctions for facilitating the alleged drug trafficking operations of his father, Naser, yet in that time he obtained a gun licence in Kosovo with the help of a senior anti-drugs officer.
Adelina Ahmeti
A son of alleged drug kingpin Naser Kelmendi obtained a gun permit with the assistance of a police officer in charge at the time of the anti-drugs unit in the Kelmendi hometown of Peja/Pec in Kosovo, BIRN can reveal, despite the son being subject to United States sanctions.
Kelmendi has been under US sanctions since 2012 for alleged involvement in drug trafficking. His three sons, Besnik, Elvis and Liridon, and daughter Donata were added to the sanctions in 2015, yet since then Besnik Kelmendi managed to obtain a licence to own a gun.
According to a notarised power of attorney obtained by BIRN, in 2020 Besnik gave police lieutenant Astrit Jasiqi, at the time the head of the Anti-Drug Unit in the western city of Peja/Pec, the power to represent him in all administrative procedures related to obtaining the gun permit – such as requesting citizenship papers and proof the Besnik did not have a criminal record, and submitting the permit application.
BIRN has obtained the power of attorney, certified by notary Ferasta Pejerinovic on December 23, 2020.
On February 12 the following year, the Peja/Pec police issued a “consent for weapon purchase” in Besnik’s name. The document was signed by Jasiqi, who has since left the police.
According to paperwork seen by BIRN, Jasiqi, on behalf of Besnik, submitted a court document confirming that Besnik did have not have a criminal record. Besnik was given a gun licence, valid until January 26 this year.
Naser Kelmendi has been investigated in both Kosovo and Bosnia but never convicted.
In 2023, a court in Kosovo acquitted him of aggravated murder, two counts of organised crime and six counts of the sale and production of drugs in various capacities, which include managing and overseeing a narcotics ring.
The US Treasury Department, however, says Naser Kelmendi “has been engaged in criminal activity for more than 35 years as the leader of a criminal family in the Balkans, with a network of associates across Europe”.
In expanding sanctions to Kelmendi’s children in 2015, the treasury said his sons had been involved in “large-scale international monetary transfers of millions of euros related to illicit activities”.
“Besnik and Donata Kelmendi maintain businesses and conduct financial transfers on behalf of Kelmendi,” it said.
Business registry data show that the police officer Jasiqi and another former senior member of the Peja/Pec anti-drug unit, Hasan Lajci, jointly run a company called Real Arms SHPK, a weapons store based in Peja/Pec, where both Naser and Besnik Kelmendi were born.
Jasiqi and Lajci resigned from the police force in February 2025. They could not be reached for comment. In trying to reach Besnik Kelmendi, BIRN got through to his wife, who promised to return the call but never did.
The police declined to comment beyond confirming that Jasiqi had acted on behalf of Besnik Kelmendi in the process of obtaining a gun licence. The interior ministry also declined to comment.
