GI report: Western Balkans key to smuggling migrants and drugs

The investigative report “The links of people, drugs and money to May 2021”, published in recent days by the Global Anti-organized Transnational Crime Initiative (GI Global Initiative, Aginst Transitional Organised Crime, ) published by fact and data presents the Western Balkans, (BP) as a key region vigorously involved in smuggling illegal immigrants and asylum seekers to EU countries, production and trafficking of drugs from the East to Western and the clearing of organised crime. Based on data and fact, the report concludes that “the largest amount of money comes from drug trafficking carried out by criminal groups operating outside the BP. Cleaning up organised crime money takes place mainly in Spain, the United Kingdom and Dubai. In the countries of the region, the amounts of money laundered, even though relatively smaller, keep alive an ecosystem of crime and corruption that weakens the rule of law. ”

The report aims at the best understanding of illegal economies in BP, for taking more effective measures towards reducing organised crime incentives and profits”.

The GI investigative report notes that “total value of the illegal immigrants smuggling market at BP entry points amounts to 20-28 million Euro, while the annual value at exit points to European Union countries (BE) ranges from 14.4 to 21.4 million euros.

GI data on the report in question shows that the pandemic COVID-19 during 2020 did not reduce the influx of migrants and asylum seekers to BP, rather, because restrictions increased the financial incentives of smuggling. Illegal immigrants and asylum seekers entering the 6 BP countries are mainly from the Middle East and North Africa: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan Afghanistan, Algeria and Bangladesh.

Their largest number of 41.257 people entered Macedonia and Veiu in 2020, (MV) followed by Serbia with 39 648, from Bosnia to 161, from Albania with 11 971, Montenegro with 2898 and finally Kosovo with 1 910 illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.

In Albania the influxs of immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa began to rise in 2018, “when it became difficult for them to cross from Greece to the MV and were forced to enter from Greece to Albania through the Karadavia border point in Gjirokastra and Kapshtica, in Cor therefrom. Their route continues in Tirana, in its suburbs, in Babrru, where the National Asylum Research Centre is located, to cross into Montenegro, Kosovo and Italy with the goal of Europe Perandomore”, the report notes. The price of smugglers to cross the border with Montenegro is 70 euros per person, to enter from Greece to Albania at 3,000 5,000 euros per person, the GI report found.

Germany's Interior Minister Horst Seehofer was quoted on Tuesday (11.05) by the DPA as saying the “Num of migrants is growing again significantly, especially on the Balkan Route. We have to do something,”

The six BP countries remain a major transit area for trafficking in cannabis, heroin and increasingly cocaine and synthetic drugs, notes the GI report. According to data from this report, cannabis passes from Albania to the East as heroin passes from Turkey to the West, moving to MV and Kosovo before reaching Western and Central Europe,

Albania has traditionally been the largest cannabis producer, but its cultivation was significantly reduced in 2016, following a major blow from the implementation of Albanian law, yet continues to be planted in several areas of the country, the GI report notes.

Cannabis from Albania is trafficked via sea route to Italy and Lake Ohrid to MV. As trafficking to Greece takes place on sea and land, through border checkpoints between the two neighbouring countries. After crossing Albania's borders to overarched 1kg of cannabis costs 2 200 euros in the MV, 2 800 euros in Greece and 3 200 euros in Italy, GI reports.

Drugs from Albania are also trafficked through border crossings with Kosovo, targeting Serbia's market. Heroin that goes to Serbia from Albania costs 19,500 Euro akg.

Cocaine enters Albania from the port of Durres, usually hidden in fruit shipments or animal skins from Latin America. From Albania it passes to Montenegro and the MV and from there across Europe, mainly with trucks that have special secret divisions. In Western Europe, the GI report points out. One pound of cocaine costs from 25 thousand Euros.

According to GI data, Albania imports opium. heroin production labs from opium were discovered in Fushe-Kruje and in Has of Kukes, where a chemist from Turkey worked, while such labs also exist on the outskirts of Elbasan and Kukes, GI notes. “The production of heroin in the country by imported opium creates a much greater profit than the resuscitation of imported heroin” stresses the GI report.

Organised crime generates billions of illegal euros annually from smuggling illegal immigrants and drug trafficking. Illegal money generated in BP or other European countries is laundered in local BP economies or invested again in other criminal activities, the GI report notes. According to this report, income from cannabis smuggling in Albania is invested in stronger drugs such as cocaine or heroin, enabling criminal groups to capture a considerable share of the market of these drugs in Western Europe and make greater profits.

“Incomes derived from drug trafficking support smuggling of firearms and trafficking of human beings”, the GI report notes.

According to this report in 6 BP countries, it is cleared of $1.8-4.6 billion a year by smuggling migrants and drug trafficking. Construction, Imobiliare and taxi agencies are activities in Albania, where the money of organised crime networks is mostly laundered in BP countries. The report brings attention to data from the Statistics Institute in Tirana, under which construction permits, although under the conditions of COVIDD-19, reached the largest number in the second half of 2020. Since 2008, considered the year of prosperity in the construction industry.

Legislation in BP anti-laundering countries has gaps, especially in terms of law enforcement, the report stressed. / DW