Operation in Albania, Italy, hit a cocaine trafficking group

A joint investigation by the Brescia Prosecutor in Italy and the Albanian Special Prosecutor led to the crackdown on a group dealing with cocaine trafficking from South America to Italy and other Central European states. The operation on executing 12 arrest orders and eight other security measures was conducted during Tuesday by police from the two countries. Five people were arrested in Albania, while another was declared in the search. Another arrest was carried out by the Spanish police

At the head of the group were two Albanian brothers, who are considered part of the criminal organization led by the Chela brothers, prominent crime - world figures from Elbasan. They are thought to have run all operations since the import of cocaine, its distribution and revenue collection, which ended later in Albania.

Investigations are taught to have begun in the second half of 2020, after a network of cocaine distribution was discovered in some local Lago di Garda in Italy. They were held under the auspices of EUROJUST, within the framework of a joint investigative team between the Brescia Prosecution and SPAK.

According to the Special Prosecutor “after the identification of cocaine suppliers, on the basis of investigations, the Italian-Albanian organisation that deals with importing quantities of narcotics from South America has been rebuilt. The two Albanian brothers gave instructions to a group believed in the Brescia area and other provinces of northern Italy, where they performed an extensive import and sale of narcotics, mainly of cocaine type”. According to the Albanian Prosecutor “, this organisation has enabled all phases of traffic, from storage, distribution and collection of benefits, which were then handed over to the organisation's directors in Albania through a collapsed system, using bus drivers of Brescia line -- Elbasan”.

Members of the organisation used “created” phones. It has been a analysis of their conversations that has revealed their involvement in the traffic of hundreds of pounds of narcotics, mainly cocaine. The “Comments have confirmed the fact that the leaders of this organisation, to implement agreements with suppliers, have systematically travelled to Colombia, Ecuador and the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, where some of the Albanian traffickers --” -- is located, the Special Prosecutor's Office notes. / VOA