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SPAK destroys criminal group operating in the EU/ 16 security measures are imposed, 17 tons of cocaine are seized

2025-08-08 17:03:00, Kronika CNA

 

SPAK, in cooperation with Europol, has cracked down on an Albanian criminal organization operating in several European countries. 17 tons of cocaine were seized, coming from Latin America to the ports of Hamburg and Antwerp.

16 security measures have been issued as a result of the group's crackdown. SPAK issues 7 measures of arrest in prison in Albania, 2 measures of compulsory appearance and 1 arrested in a European country, 6 people have been declared wanted.

 

SPAK announcement

SPAK strikes Albanian criminal organization that influenced the cocaine market in Europe, about 17 tons of cocaine seized

 

The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (Special Prosecution Office) has conducted investigations against a high-level criminal organization involved in cocaine trafficking and money laundering. The investigations, which include intensive cooperation with EUROPOL and authorities from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy, were based on the analysis of encrypted communication data from the SkyECC platform. These investigations have revealed multi-ton shipments of cocaine from Latin America to major EU ports, including Hamburg, Antwerp, etc.

 

This criminal organization operated on a global scale, collaborating with other criminal groups to facilitate transport to European ports and investing large profits in properties and businesses in Albania and abroad.

 

In the context of this criminal organization, the Special Prosecution Office has conducted investigations within the framework of criminal proceedings no. 187/2023 for the criminal offenses of "Trafficking in narcotics", "Laundering of proceeds of crime", "Criminal organization" and "Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization and a structured criminal group" provided for by articles 283/a, 287, 333/1 and 2 and 334/1 of the Criminal Code.

 

The Special Prosecution Office has filed a request for the imposition of personal security measures against 16 (sixteen) Albanian citizens, a request which was approved by the Special Court of First Instance for Corruption and Organized Crime (Special Court) with decision no. 82, act dated 06.08.2025, imposing the measure of "arrest in prison", based on Article 238 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for 14 (fourteen) persons and for 2 (two) others it has imposed the security measure of obligation to report to the judicial police.

 

The General Directorate of the State Police in cooperation with the National Bureau of Investigation have executed security measures for 9 suspects (including one of the leaders), of whom 7 with the measure of "prison arrest" and 2 with the measure of "compulsory appearance", while one of the suspects is currently arrested in an EU country (leader of the organization). Work is underway to execute security measures for 6 other people.

 

The measure of “prison arrest” in Albania:

 

E.C.

A.C.

PL

RM

G.C.

MK

El.C

"Compulsory appearance" measure in Albania:

 

8. DP

9. K.Gj

 

Arrested in an EU country:

 

10. FC

 

In the interests of the investigation, the Special Prosecution Office has requested and received approval from the Special Court to conduct searches of homes, vehicles and persons, which are ongoing.

 

Seizures of quantities of cocaine:

 

During international investigations, two large cocaine shipments were identified and seized, transported from South America to Europe, and more specifically:

 

September 2020 – Paraguay → Belgium (Antwerp)

The group led by E.Ç. and FG, in collaboration with a Brazilian citizen, organized the trafficking of 11.6 tons of cocaine, hidden in soap boxes and metal paint cans with the “Fox” logo. The shipment departed from the port of Villeta (Paraguay) and arrived in Antwerp on 04.11.2020.

Subsequently, during police operations in Rotterdam, 600 kg of cocaine and 2 million euros were seized, and Albanian citizens MD and NB were arrested.

December 2020 – February 2021 – Paraguay → Germany (Hamburg)

E.Ç. and FG organized and financed the trafficking of 16.4 tons of cocaine, hidden in metal cans with construction paint/cough and stamped with logos (“red lightning eyes”, “Puma”, “infinity sign”), with a market value of 1.5 billion to 3.5 billion euros. The cargo, distributed in several containers, arrived in Hamburg on 12.02.2021 and was seized by German customs authorities. (Cocaine 'worth billions' seized in record Germany and Belgium haul).

Typology of criminal organization

 

Investigations conducted in cooperation with partner law enforcement authorities and analysis of intercepted communications in the SkyECC application have revealed a criminal structure of international proportions, led by citizens E.Ç. and FG, which fully controlled the cocaine trafficking chain – from production, storage and processing in Paraguayan laboratories, international transport and distribution to European markets, to the laundering and circulation of the proceeds.

 

Large shipments of cocaine were obtained directly from the producers by the head of the organization E. Ç. (who together with his brother A. Ç. were located in Paraguay), stored and prepared for transport to Paraguay. The narcotic substance was sophisticatedly hidden in legal cargo – soap boxes, paint cans and construction collosums – disguised with trademarks such as “Fox” or with special distinguishing marks such as “Puma” or “lightning eyes”. These cargoes were transported in sea containers from South American ports to major European ports, mainly Antwerp (Belgium) and Hamburg (Germany), where they were then distributed through internal drug market networks in the EU.

 

Money circulation and management

 

The investigation has shown that this group had set up an extremely sophisticated financial mechanism to circulate and hide the proceeds of criminal activity. One of the main methods was the physical transport of cash from EU countries to Albania, using mainly Albanian bus drivers for international passenger transport. This method had several advantages for the group:

 

Avoiding bank tracing and the legal obligation to declare the source of funds;

Avoiding official customs controls by using shortcuts and less monitored border crossings;

Safety through a trusted network of drivers, whose number was limited and selected based on a relationship built on mutual trust.

In exchange for the service and the risk assumed, the drivers received a fee of about 2% on the amount transported. These payments were made directly by the group members and guaranteed by the persons responsible for managing the financial logistics.

 

Payment coordination

 

Key figures such as FG, E.Ç., and other associates played an active role in organizing these transfers. Internal payments and compensations were often disguised through other secret transactions, designed to leave no trace in the official financial system.

 

In addition to physical transport, the network also used an informal transfer system known as “hawala” or “token”, where large sums of money circulated through a chain of intermediaries without any banking records. A significant portion of the funds were channeled to Bolivia, which, due to its low level of financial control and strategic location, served as a key hub for completing international money transactions.

 

The combination of these methods, physical transport with trusted drivers and the informal transfer system, enabled this criminal organization to circulate hundreds of millions of Euros in cash, significantly reducing the risk of seizure and ensuring the continuity of its activity on an international scale.

 

The prosecutors in the case, Altin Dumani and Vladimir Mara, emphasize that:

“This criminal organization can be considered one of the most powerful Albanian organizations in international cocaine trafficking. It had the capacity to directly influence the price of cocaine in European markets and to manage large quantities of the narcotic substance in short periods of time. The high financial power of this organization, the structuring and organization of a very high level as well as the ability to recover losses resulting from seizures distinguish it from other criminal groups investigated by SPAK.”

 

Seized properties

 

With decision no. 543 dated 07.08.2025, the Special Court has ordered the preventive seizure of a total of 14 assets of various types worth several million euros, including resorts, villas, apartments, land, vehicles and company shares, on behalf of the persons under investigation as follows:

 

Tourist resorts:

 

“A….. PARK” Resort including hotels, service buildings, restaurants and commercial premises, Xhafzotaj, Durrës.

Villas and apartments:

 

Two-story villa type "ELYSIAN", on the coast of Dhërmi, Himara municipality (total area approximately 378.2 m²), with a market value of approximately 1,000,000 Euros.

Villa ordered on 06.11.2024, in Tirana.

Plot, land and buildings:

 

Land and building property in Tirana, Sharra.

Property (with temporary registration status).

Property no. 349/45 in co-ownership.

Arable land with an area of 5900 m², Sharra, Tirana.

Quotas and shares in commercial companies:

 

Quotas/shares in a commercial company, Kavaja.

Commercial company, Durrës.

Trading company, Rrogozhina.

Commercial company, Durrës.

Vehicles:

 

Three vehicles.

Seizures during the execution of control decisions:

 

Over 111,800 Euros Cash;

4000 USD

880,000 Lek

International cooperation

 

In this important investigation, SPAK has had excellent coordination and cooperation with EUROPOL, Eurojust, and law enforcement agencies of EU countries. International partners involved included the Federal Judicial Police of Belgium, the National Police and SIRASCO from France, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the State Criminal Police Office Karlsruhe from Germany, the Dutch Police, as well as the State Police and the Service for International Police Cooperation (SCIP) of the Italian state. This close cooperation between these institutions was essential for the success of the operation and the crackdown on this criminal organization with international influence.





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