Albania Spy Agency Denies Army Drug Trafficking

“We are extremely concerned about the wave of media and political speculations over the publication of a classified document, which is being abused and damages our work and the interests of the country,” the State Information Agency, SHISH, said in a statement on Saturday.

“This document not only does not contain any fact confirmed by us regarding drug trafficking through the military infrastructure, but also its spin in the media directly damages the image of the State Information Service,” it added.

Last week Albania’s News 24 TV published a leaked document from SHISH, in which it was alleged that a plane landed in the Gjader Air Base in northern Albania on March 19 and was approached by a white van suspected of carrying narcotics before it flew off.

“This plane has landed at Gjader airport often. Based on our indications it is being used for narcotics trafficking,” the document said.

The opposition Democratic Party had accused the government and the army of being involved in drugs trafficking and has called for an investigation.

Both the centre-left government of Prime Minister Edi Rama and the army have rejected the accusations, arguing that Albania’s airspace is monitored by NATO.