Albanian Police Arrested in International Anti-Drug Trafficking Raids

A screen from Italian police footage showing drug seizures during the operation.

Among those arrested are both current and former Albanian police officers. SPAK described two of the arrested as officers who "at the time when they carried out their illegal activities in 2016 were members of the staff of the [then] Minister of Interior".

The names of those arrested were not provided in the press release, nor was the name of the then Albanian Interior Minister, Saimir Tahiri, who was previously indicted and found not guilty of international drug trafficking. Tahiri denies the allegations and faces a retrial.

The operation against international drug trafficking networks involving Albanian crime groups relates to a period of massive cultivation of cannabis in Albania in 2016 and 2017.

The Albanian opposition claim this was tolerated and even organised by the Socialist-led government of Edi Rama to gain an advantage in the 2017 elections.

Back in 2017, Albanian authorities dismantled another drug trafficking ring which involved relatives of Tahiri and several high officials of the police.

Vladimir Mara, a SPAK prosecutor, said the latest operation had identified several episodes of large-scale drug trafficking.

On Friday, some four companies and 11 immovable properties, including hotels and restaurants, were among the assets seized. "Some six tons of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and hashish, worth 55 million euros were seized in the course of this operation," SPAK said.

Among those arrested was also Maksim Sota, a prosecutor in the region of Vlora in southern Albania. He is accused of abuse of power.

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