Albanian-speaking network traffickers that filled Europe with cocaine been destroyed

 Spanish policeman in action checking for drugs in the house of Albanians

 Europol announced today the crackdown on one of the most active cocaine trafficking networks in Europe controlled by Albanian speakers. At least 45 suspects were arrested in a series of raids carried out in Belgium and Spain, during which more than 80 objects were raided. There were over 600 law enforcement officers in close cooperation with prosecutors and judicial officers, who carried out raids on members of this network in Spain and Belgium. A series of parallel actions also took place in Croatia, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. The investigation into this case involved the law enforcement authorities of 7 different countries (Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the USA through the FBI)

According to the Europol report, "the suspects are thought to have imported cocaine from Latin America to various European ports, arranging transport by air, ship, car, and truck and conducting wholesale trade. Spain and other EU member states were used to recycling the trade practices used between them."

Investigations in Spain began in 2018, with the arrest of a senior member of the organized crime group, who is currently in custody. In Belgium, investigations began after the seizure in September 2020 of drugs and large quantities of chemicals used to transform and store cocaine for commercial purposes. The suspects are also linked to large quantities of cocaine seized during various checks across Europe in recent years.

According to Europol, “this high-level criminal network had set up a number of companies in various countries to launder profits, including Croatia and Spain. 

"Its members traveled regularly to Dubai, Mexico, and Colombia to organize their illegal business and used encrypted means of communication to coordinate activities."

Today's operation, coordinated internationally by Europol and Eurojust, "was the culmination of many months of meticulous planning between law enforcement and judicial authorities in preparing the action."

Eurojust had set up a coordination center to enable rapid co-operation between the judicial authorities involved. Europol on the other hand organized the intensive exchange of information and evidence needed to prepare for the final phase of the investigation. Two experts were deployed to facilitate transnational police operations, using mobile offices in the country. A joint investigative team was set up between Belgium and Spain last year, with the active assistance of Eurojust and Europol. In addition, an Operational Task Force (OTF) was set up at Europol to pool investigative resources and expertise and conduct internationally the investigation.