Great Spanish police action: 11 tonnes of cocaine seized, among Albanian and Albanian members

Spanish police seized 11 tonnes of cocaine and arrested 20 people, including Albanian citizens, who belong to two criminal drug trafficking organisations. The vast amount of cocaine came from South America and was targeted by traffickers to spread across two Spanish ports across Europe. Albanian police have not detailed the involvement of Albanians in the two powerful drug trafficking organisations.

Spanish police said Tuesday they seized 11 tonnes of cocaine and arrested 20 people, including Albanian citizens, who belong to two criminal drug trafficking organisations.

Through an official report the Spanish police said that 7.5 tonnes of cocaine from South America was seized at the northwest port of Vigo and was hidden inside containers with our frozen fish, which would be distributed throughout Europe.

The other 3.5 tonnes of cocaine was seized at the eastern port of Valencia hidden in shipping containers.

Spanish police described the operations as a “major hit” for one of the most powerful Balkan cocaine distribution networks in Europe.

Spanish Central Narcotics Brigade head Antonio Martinez confirmed at a media release that among those arrested some were Albanian citizens.

According to Spanish police, the drug network had established an import company to trade frozen fish and invest in real estate to cover activity related to large quantities of drugs coming from South America and then penetrated other European countries.

According to Spanish police along with Albanian citizens, other citizens of Spanish, Colombian and Dominican nationals have been arrested.

According to the central Spanish press since 2017, criminal networks from Eastern Europe made up of Albanians, Serbs and Croats have been a global threat and a headache for antidrug units in Spain, a strategic point for the arrival and distribution of cocaine to the European market.

Up to the preparation of this chronic, Albanian police did not respond to Voice of America's interest in details about the inclusion of Albanian citizens in this powerful cocaine transport network from South America to Europe already hit by Spanish police. / VOA