Kosovo Police, Italy, France and Europol action hits Kosovo pair, assets worth 1m euros

Police inform that the operation has been carried out under an investigation into the transatlantic cleanup of income generated by drug trafficking carried out by Italian and French authorities, co-ordinated by Europol and Eurojust, in close co-operation with the Special Prosecutor and the Kosovo Police.

The “Analysis of the material seized during the investigation, along with information received by the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo, the Department for Investigation of Organised Crime in the execution of a request for mutual judicial assistance submitted by Italian judicial authorities, enabled investigators to identify bank accounts, business interests, real estate and high-value vehicles owned by a married couple of Kosovo citizens who reside in Italy. The couple, who are under criminal investigation in Italy on suspicion of money laundering, was arrested in France in September 2025. Police had discovered more than 56kg of gold rods and 2.5m euros hidden inside modified division of two” vehicles, the report said.

Full announcement:

Assets worth 1m euros in Kosovo in connection with a drug trafficking money laundering network

Kosovo police under the authorisation of the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo have conducted an operation in Pristina on June 30th 2026, as a result of which assets worth 1m euros have been seized.

The operation has been carried out under an investigation into transatlantic cleanup of income generated by drug trafficking, carried out by Italian and French authorities co-ordinated by Europol and Eurojust, in close co-operation with the Special Prosecutor and the Kosovo Police.

Analysis of the material seized during the investigation, along with information received by the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo - the Department for Investigation of Organised Crime in the execution of a mutual judicial assistance requirement presented by Italian judicial authorities, enabled investigators to identify bank accounts, business interests, real estate and high-value vehicles owned by a married couple of Kosovo citizens living in Italy. The couple, who are under criminal investigation in Italy on suspicion of money laundering, was arrested in France in September 2025. Police had discovered more than 56kg of gold rods and 2.5m euros hidden inside modified division of two vehicles.

Also, in September 2025, additional revenues from criminal acts worth more than 30m euros were seized. These assets were linked to a transnational criminal network engaged in clearing of income generated by drug trafficking in France by individuals linked to criminal groups in France.

According to authorities, converting cash into gold served a twofold purpose: hiding the illegal origin of criminal income and facilitating their concealment and cross-border transport, especially in Kosovo, Turkey and Morocco.

In executing the request for mutual legal assistance, the Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo - the Department for Investigation of Organised Crime, in close co-ordination with the Kosovo Police, undertook all necessary procedure and investigative measures, resulting in identification, tracking and sequenting assets within the territory of the Republic of Kosovo at an estimated value of approximately 1m euros. Europol and Eurojust provided considerable support throughout the investigation by facilitating judicial and operational cross-border co-operation between the Italian, French and Kosovo authorities, which have played a key role in identifying, investigating and sequentising criminal assets in numerous jurisdictions.

Participants authorities:

France: Inter-regional Interregation of Marseille (JIRS); The National Gendarmation of Marseilles - The Investigation Section.

Italy: Milan Public Prosecutor's Office - Anti-Mafia District Directorate (DDA) Guardia di Finanza ) Milan's Economic and Financial Police Unit (GICO) and the Central Service for Organised Crime Investigation (SCICO).

Kosovo: The Special Prosecutor of the Republic of Kosovo, the Department for Investigation of Organised Crime, in collaboration with the Kosovo Police.

The investigation also received support from the European Union's Home Affairs Programme in Kosovo (HAPE).