Albanian Gangs Seizing UK Cocaine Trade, Report Says

Albanian organized crime groups are taking an increasingly high profile role in the cocaine trade in the UK, while Romanian gangs are increasingly prevalent in "modern slavery" in the UK, according to a new report from the UK's National Crime Agency, NCA, which blames corruption at airports and ports for the apparent ease of access of the drugs to the UK.

The 2017 NCA analysis of crime trends in Britain said it was increasingly concerned by what it called the Albanian gangs' "high-profile influence within UK organised crime" and their willingness to resort to violence.

"Albanian crime groups involved in drug trafficking have established a high-profile influence within UK organised crime and have considerable control across the UK drug trafficking market," the report says. "They are also expanding their influence upstream."

"Criminals from the Balkans are increasingly expanding their network of influence, forming direct relationships with cocaine

suppliers in Latin America," it adds.

"The threat faced from Albanian crime groups is significant. London is their primary hub, but they are established across the UK," it continues.

Lithuanian crime groups are also establishing more control across the UK regarding drug trafficking., the same report goes on.

"This, combined with their capacity to smuggle cash on a substantial scale…  and ready access to firearms, makes them a growing influence within UK organised crime."

Turning to other drugs, Turkish and Pakistani groups continue to dominate the heroin trade to the UK, the report said.

Speaking of the Albanian cocaine gangs, NCA deputy director general Matthew Horne said: "It's very much a group that's small in number but big in impact."

According to the report,...