Albanian police arrest Indian wanted for money laundering

TIRANA, Albania – Albanian authorities say they have arrested an Indian citizen wanted in his country for money laundering.

A statement Friday by Albanian police said the individual, identified only as H.P., 59, was arrested at an airport trying to leave the country. The police say he is a resident of Nigeria.

A court in New Delhi, India, had issued an international arrest warrant for the individual for money laundering. Albanian authorities have started extradition procedures.

Albania’s private Top Channel television station named the individual as Hiteshkumar Patel, the brother in law of Cetan Sandesaras. Sandesaras and his brother Nitin own the Sterling Biotech company and borrowed $725 million before leaving India. Last year they got Albanian citizenship.

It is unclear whether the Sandesaras brothers are in Albania.