A 32-year-old man who was wanted in connection with the death of a North East man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Hemawand Ali Hussein was found dead in a property in Hartlepool in September 2019. He had suffered a gunshot wound.
Today, it has been confirmed a man was arrested by police in Belgium following collaborative work with Cleveland Police, international partners and the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Cleveland Police is still appealing to trace two men in connection with Mr Hussein’s death.
They are thought to be Albanian and are: Sajmir Dodoveci, 38, and Armando Marku, 24.
Four others were sentenced in connection with the incident: Eugert Merizaj, 33, was jailed for 32 years Noza Saffari, 42, was jailed for 15 years Dorian Pirija, 36, was jailed for 19 years Qazim Marku, 28, was jailed for 19 years.
In May 2022 detectives welcomed the sentence of a key player in a plan to murder a drug rival but have re-iterated their determination to arrest suspects who fled the country.
Eugert Merizaj played a pivotal part in persuading Mr Hussein to turn up Chapterhouse Street, Hartlepool, in September 2019, where he was shot at point blank range.
The 31-year-old managed to flee the country following the murder but was arrested in Belgium before being extradited to face his trial at Teesside Crown Court.
The plot to kill the Stockton father-of-two was the culmination of a long-running feud between rival Kurdish and Albanian groups on Teesside, which included a gunfight between the two warring parties in Middlesbrough.
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In 2021, Noza Saffari, Dorian Pirija and Qazim Marku were convicted for their roles in the killing of Mr Hussein but were cleared of his murder.
If you have any information which could assist call Cleveland Police on 101, quoting reference SE19159141.
Independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or by phone on 0800 555 111.
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