Europol announced on Wednesday the dismantling of a criminal network operating as an underground banking system to launder and circulate proceeds from large-scale drug trafficking and other serious crimes. This operation was the result of coordinated efforts by law enforcement agencies from six countries, with Europol playing a pivotal role. Two key investigations—Operation “Gorgon” in Albania and Operation “Whitewall” in Spain—proved instrumental in the crackdown.
Arrests and Seizures
The operation led to the arrest of at least nine individuals and the seizure of €25 million in cryptocurrencies, €35,000 in cash, as well as valuable items such as gold, luxury goods, documents, and mobile phones.
Operation “Gorgon” in Albania
In Albania, the investigation targeted an organization led by brothers Franc and Hajdar Çopja from Elbasan. They were implicated in multiple murders, attempted murders, and the infamous 2019 theft of €10 million at Rinas Airport.
Out of 33 arrest warrants issued on July 31, 2023, 13 were executed in Albania, with two suspects previously arrested abroad. Many members of the group had already fled the country.
Albania’s Special Prosecution Office against Organized Crime and Corruption (SPAK) focused on the Çopja brothers' activities but omitted a significant detail later revealed by Europol. According to Europol, a prominent figure in money laundering based in Tirana, linked to high-level international criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, murder, and corruption, was also arrested during the operation.
This individual was later identified as a key player facilitating large-scale money transfers through cryptocurrencies. Among those arrested were currency exchange business owners Bashkim Lika and Maklen Mici, suspected of providing financial services to the Çopja organization. Investigations into encrypted applications like SKY/ECC revealed that Mici had moved millions of euros for Franc Çopja. However, both suspects’ lawyers have denied the allegations.
Europol highlighted that the use of cryptocurrencies by criminal organizations represents a growing trend in money laundering, adopted not just by Albanian groups but also by other international criminal networks.
Origins of the Investigation
The investigation began in 2021 when Spanish police uncovered handwritten notes on €5 banknotes during a drug trafficking raid. These notes provided critical information about those facilitating the financial operations behind cocaine trafficking.
Spanish authorities shared this intelligence with Europol, which cross-referenced it with data from encrypted communication platforms like EncroChat and SKY. A British national emerged as a central figure coordinating underground banking services for a criminal network based in southern Spain. This network operated under the supervision of another criminal group headquartered in Dubai.
The British coordinator was arrested on September 12, 2022. Analyzing the data collected from his arrest, law enforcement identified key roles within the criminal network, leading to a major raid in Málaga, Spain, on November 4, 2024. This raid involved law enforcement agencies from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and the United States.
Impact of Operations “Gorgon” and “Whitewall”
These operations exposed the intricate mechanisms of organized crime, including covert financial transactions and money laundering networks. These illicit systems serve as both financial crimes and as enablers for other activities such as drug trafficking, contract killings, and arms smuggling.
Europol's success in disrupting this underground banking network demonstrates the importance of international cooperation in combating the financial backbone of organized crime. By targeting these hidden systems, law enforcement agencies not only cripple criminal enterprises but also hinder their ability to fund and sustain their operations globally.