Former member of parliament for the Socialist Party and former director of Durrës Cadastre Agency Jurgis Çyrbja was arrested on 20 October 2024, just days after he resigned from parliament citing health issues. Çyrbja’s arrest was connected to investigations into his involvement with an organised criminal group in order to interfere in different state agencies in favour of the group, Çyrbja’s familiars or friends.

The Special Structure Against Organised Crime and Corruption (SPAK) announced to the media that the arrest warrant was issued under the charges of “active corruption in elections”, provided for by Article 328 of the Criminal Code; "supporting the author of the crime", provided by Article 302/1/2 of the Criminal Code, as well as "trading of state secrets by citizens", provided by Article 295/1 of the Criminal Code. Active corruption in elections can hold a sentence of one to five years, while Article 302/1/2 provides for a sentence of two to seven years, and Article 295/1 provides punishment in the form of a fine or up to five years imprisonment. The final sentence has not yet been handed down by the Special Court following an unsuccessful appeal by Çyrbja in November 2024, at the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organised Crime.

According to undisclosed sources, the investigation into Çyrbja was initiated within the framework of an investigation in collaboration with European agencies involving several Albanian citizens engaged in narcotics trafficking, mainly cocaine. The former member of parliament’s name was identified during this investigation in decrypted SYK ECC communication under nicknames “J”, “Jur” and “Juri”. Among the criminals with whom Çyrbja was in frequent communication was the accused Ahmet Masha, a figure known to the Albanian state police.

Çyrbja was accused of harbouring convicted criminal Altin Hajri who was wanted for murder. According to the indictment issued by the Special Structure Against Organised Crime and Corruption, Çyrbja had constant communication with criminal figures, some of which had not been yet decrypted by the agency. In return for the favours given to Hajri, Çyrbja was alleged to have received vote support during the parliamentary elections of 2021.

In regards to the abovementioned allegations, the first Instance court found Çyrbja guilty and he was placed under arrest for the remainder of the investigation procedure, along with Masha and Hajri (fugitive). Prior to his election as a member of parliament in 2017, Çyrbja was director of the Durrës Cadastre Agency; while in this role, he was accused by the Democratic Party of abuse of function for irregularities regarding property rights and committing vote buying.