ERO Philadelphia removes Albanian citizen wanted by law enforcement in Albania for murder

PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia removed Leonard Mnela, a citizen of Albania with a final order of removal, to Albania on March 2. Mnela is a foreign fugitive wanted by law enforcement authorities in Italy for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, attempted extortion, firearms violation, drug trafficking, drug importing and drug selling. He’s also wanted by law enforcement authorities in Albania for murder.

“International criminals such as Leonard Mnela should not expect to find sanctuary in the U.S.,” said ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Cammilla Wamsley. “Our ERO officers work tirelessly to track down, arrest and remove individuals who attempt to flee justice in their home countries. ERO Philadelphia continues to prioritize noncitizens who represent a threat to the American public.”

On an unknown date and at an unknown location, Mnela entered the United States without admission or parole by an immigration official.

Mnela was convicted in Italy in absentia of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, attempted extortion, firearms violation, drug trafficking and drug selling on Oct. 7, 2005. The court sentenced Mnela to 25 years of incarceration.

In March 2008, he obtained lawful status in the United States.

On an unknown date and at an unknown location, Mnela departed the United States.

On April 22, 2008, he applied for admission to the United States in Miami, Florida, with lawful status. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Miami served Mnela with a notice to appear charging inadmissibility. On the same date, CBP paroled him into the United States.

On Nov. 6, 2019, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in New York, New York, convicted Mnela of exporting methamphetamine from the United States and sentenced him to 120 months of incarceration.

An immigration judge in Baltimore, Maryland, ordered Mnela removed from the United States to Albania on April 27, 2022.

On Feb. 2, ERO Philadelphia apprehended Mnela at the Bureau of Prisons and detained him at the Clinton County Correctional Facility in McElhattan pending removal proceedings.

As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws. Its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by calling 866-347-2423 or completing ICE’s online tip form.

Learn more about ERO’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROPhiladelphia.