A 41-year-old Albanian national from Korçë, Gentian Çipi, escaped from a hospital in Serres, Greece, on Friday evening.

Çipi has a criminal record in both Albania and Greece. In Albania, he was sentenced in July 2024 to two years in prison for aggravated destruction of property by fire, following an incident involving the burning of a vehicle in Korçë in April 2023.

Greek authorities have also linked Çipi to a September 2024 shooting in Pylaia, Thessaloniki, in which a 25-year-old Greek man was shot three times but survived. Çipi allegedly fled the scene and was later identified by Greek police.

He was arrested in September 2025 during a police operation in Thessaloniki, along with two other Albanian nationals. Greek authorities described him as the alleged leader of a criminal group involved in drug trafficking and violent activities.

During the operation, police seized an AK-47 with 30 rounds, three pistols, a silencer, approximately 31 kilograms of marijuana, forged identification documents, €23,350 in cash and three vehicles, according to Greek authorities.

Authorities are now searching for Çipi following his escape from the hospital in Serres.