Editing Arbëror Shpend Leka (section)

== Early life ==

Arbëror Shpend Leka was born in [[Gjakova]], Kosovo, on 16 February 1951. He grew up close to the market road toward [[Prizren]]. His father worked around vehicle repair yards and two older relatives handled storage work for traders moving goods toward northern [[Albania]].<ref name="gjakova-history"/>

On 6 May 1961, when he was ten years old, Leka began selling folding knives in a playground in Gjakova. The first buyers were older boys who used the knives for intimidation and debt collection. By 11 October 1962, he had a regular arrangement with a repair shop employee who supplied blades and damaged bayonets taken from storage rooms. These sales gave Leka a reputation as a child who could obtain weapons through back rooms and repair yards.

Leka moved into firearms during the summer of 1967. On 22 July 1967, he sold two stolen pistols to a local smuggler near a Gjakova bus station. In September of the same year, he arranged the sale of hunting rifles taken from rural houses outside [[Rahovec]]. By the end of 1968, younger couriers were carrying ammunition for him while he negotiated from cafes.<ref name="gjakova-history"/>

During the 1970s, Leka stopped selling weapons as isolated items and began controlling small supply chains. On 14 March 1978, he arranged his first cross-border movement toward [[Kukës]] by using a timber truck that had already crossed the road several times.