Albanian police

In a major drugs busting operation near Elbasan, 40 km south of Tirana, police seized more than 19.5 kg of pure cocaine and 20 kg of of chemical elements used to mix the cocaine.

"Our investigation discovered a structured international criminal enterprise with activities from Latin America into the Balkans and Western Europe," police said.

The arrests came after Albanian police on Thursday blocked 270 men, women and children from trying to board ferries in the southern port of Vlora bound for Italy, who would then be transferred to Germany on buses.

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Albanian police said they had arrested two members of a gang who robbed a jewel store in a Tirana mall at the height of the Christmas season last year dressed as Santa Clauses.

The robbers entered the mall dancing and singing, with their guns hidden, but once inside the store they took the weapons out and pointed them at the shopkeeper.

Greek police are investigating reports according to which criminal rings are transporting weapons from Albania to Jihadists involved in Islamic State activities in Syria via Greece, Kathimerini understands.

Albania is recovering from false Ebola alarm after police detained 38 Eritrean immigrants in a mountainous area and arrested two suspected traffickers on Tuesday.

EU and the Balkans co-operate against human trafficking

Germany and France have agreed to establish joint expert working groups with Albania and Serbia.

The EU is engaging Balkan countries to slow the tide of human trafficking from the Middle East, Africa and Asia by providing additional support for refugees who legally arrive in Union states.

Police are still battling to take control of the village in southern Albania, which Italian financial police say produced 900 metric tons of marijuana last year, with an estimated street value of €4.5 billion.

Police on Wednesday said that over the last three days they had destroyed more 70,000 cannabis plants, over 12 tons of marijuana, two drugs labs, weapons and ammunition.

Police come under fire in Albanian drug village

TIRANA -- A clash between the police and "cannabis growers" in the village of Lazarat in Albania has resulted in six arrests and the wounding of one policeman.

The Albanian media report that the police "are not giving up and continue the operation in Lazarat," which began on Sunday night.

Police on Monday launched a pre-dawn raid on the village which produced an estimated 900 metric tons of marijuana last year and has been a no-go area for the authorities for more than a decade.

Albania increases anti-drug trafficking measures

The government acts after an airplane carrying drugs crashed and reports surfaced of potential misuse of military airports by drug traffickers.

Large slabs of concrete that block the runways at three military airports are the latest tool to slow the flow of illegal drugs in Albania.