DuPage drug trafficker faces 30 year sentence

A man who prosecutors say belongs to a marijuana ring with ties to California and Michigan was convicted on drug trafficking charges Wednesday in DuPage County court in Wheaton.

Lirim Luzaj, 38, was found guilty of unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver more than 5,000 grams, a Class X felony that can mean six to 30 years in state prison. Judge Robert Kleeman announced his verdict after a three-day long bench trial.

Luzaj was arrested in late May along with 11 others, as the result of a yearlong investigation dubbed “Operation Chicago Haze.”

“Today's conviction is a good first step in bringing all those involved in Operation Chicago Haze to justice,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “We have a lot more work to do but I am confident today is just the beginning.”

The state's attorneys office, the Illinois attorney general's office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group and several local law enforcement agencies worked together to bring down the drug ring.

Officials say the group is responsible for the distribution of more than 600 pounds of cannabis per month to other drug dealers throughout the Chicago area. The May bust also resulted in the seizure of roughly $1 million, 11 vehicles and five weapons.

Charges filed against the remaining 11 suspects are the result of a joint state and federal investigation into the Dorian Luzaj cannabis trafficking organization, which officials say trafficked cannabis into Illinois from California and Canada. Dorian Luzaj, 28, the brother of Lirim Luzaj, also faces cannabis trafficking charges.

Other charges in the case included: Konstantinos A. Koutelidakis, conspiracy in cannabis trafficking, money laundering in excess of $100,000; one charge of cannabis trafficking each for Przemyslaw Raczynski, Bujar Toshkezi and Stephany Ortiz; Imer Xhaferi, attempted cannabis trafficking; one count each of cannabis trafficking and conspiracy in cannabis trafficking for Daniel Awkermen and Jacek Pelc; one count each of attempt of unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver more than 5,000 grams for William Giraldo and Eric Alcantara; Sayed Hakim Hashemi, unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver more than 500 grams but less than 2,000 grams.

Lirim Luzaj is scheduled to appear in DuPage court Aug. 24 for return of the pre-sentencing report. The other suspects are awaiting trial.