"$31 million was laundered through 8 companies"/ Dritan Gjika's connection with the Italian-Argentine businessman

2025-06-17 21:11:00, Kronika CNA

"$31 million was laundered through 8 companies"/ Dritan Gjika's

The show 'Në Shënjestër' by Klodiana Lala revealed new details from the history of one of the biggest drug traffickers, Dritan Gjika, his connections with the high-ranking police and political elite in Ecuador, as well as his collaboration with other businessmen who helped him strengthen his criminal activity.

With the creation of the company 'Agricomtrade', Gjika would send cocaine through bananas, supplying various countries in Europe, including Albania, the company 'Alba Exotic Fruit'.

Investigations revealed that 'Agricomtrade' had sent more than 150 shipments of bananas to Albania through 'Alba Exotic Fruit'.

Gjika is believed to have employed local subcontractors in Ecuador who were tasked with storing and transporting the cocaine, according to reports compiled by anti-narcotics officials.

An explanation for why Gjika doesn't have any of his own in the drug business. Where he sometimes knew how to reward his subcontractors by giving them cocaine.

As he had done on various occasions where he had paid them 10 kg of cocaine, which were not exported, but distributed among his associates. Often described as an invisible man.

Or visible only to corrupt police chiefs. As was his connection with Tannya Varela. Senior police chief in Ecuador from March 2021 to January 2022 who is now under investigation by the Ecuadorian prosecutor, as being linked to Dritan Gjika who was dismissed from this position by the President of the Republic precisely for suspected links to drug trafficking.

Investigators in Ecuador believe Varela began helping Gjika while she was performing her duties at an airport in the province of Guayas.

From where it is thought that he helped him by placing several trusted police officers in key locations in order to facilitate his drug trafficking operations.

But like any empire, Dritan Gjika's empire seems to have had its ups and downs. A fall that apparently came from the gluttony that Gjika's companies had over the years.

Which got out of control due to the large territory where they spread their activity.

As was the partnership between Dritan Gjika's companies and an Italian-Argentine businessman, known as Mario Sanchez Rinaldi, who operated on the Costa de Sol in Spain. Who took seriously the money laundering of Gjika's organization. As well as providing passage from Colombia to Europe.

Tons of drugs that continued to enrage law enforcement authorities in Europe. Which had already marked with a red circle the name of Dritan Gjika, as the main supplier that was flooding their markets with cocaine. As was an episode related to a 1-ton shipment of cocaine that landed in one of the ports of the Netherlands during 2020.

Gjika had already changed his modus operandi, becoming increasingly sophisticated in smuggling such quantities of cocaine into Europe.

In 2021 alone, in a single day, Gjika and Cherres, his closest colleague in this work, founded 8 companies, most of them in the construction sector.

Companies through which 31 million dollars were laundered. The moment when it seems that Gjika's problems with the local justice system begin.

Which opens an investigation against him, as the leader of a drug trafficking organization. Where it is also said that Tannya Varela, the senior police leader in Ecuador, gave him help. Who saved Gjika from criminal prosecution, after distributing his investigators to different areas of Ecuador and his case was closed in 2022.

But this seems to be temporary. As his case seemed to be closed, it was reopened in 2024.

Meanwhile, Dritan Gjika had become invisible again since January 2023, when he was said to have fled and headed straight to an initially unidentified destination. But which was soon revealed to be the United Arab Emirates.

The promised land for many criminals from around the world. Meanwhile, in Ecuador, unrest had taken over the country.

And his business partner Cherres had already been killed. Events that also led to the execution of journalist and congressman Fernando Villavicencio, who had published facts about Dritan Gjika's connection to drug trafficking.

As well as his connection with the former senior police chief, Varela.

Villavicencio also alleged that the brother-in-law of the President of Ecuador and Cherres had close relations with Gjika since 2021.

A political scandal that culminated in the dismissal of President Lasso.

Meanwhile, as we said, Villavicencio was executed just a month after this dismissal, during his campaign to take the presidency.

But the end of Dritan Gjika's escape seems to have been precisely May of this year.

With a portrait that was no longer cheerful, unlike the one we were used to.

And with an inscription above his image in Spanish.

'Capturado' which means 'Captured' in Spanish