Where Do the Confiscated Cash Seized at Albania’s Borders Go?

 Albanian police regularly announce cases where individuals attempting to leave the country with large sums of undeclared cash are intercepted. Such instances, like the recent case of a 43-year-old man at the Kakavija border who was caught with €28,650 in his bag, raise questions about the ultimate fate of these confiscated funds.

€28,650 seized near Kakavija today by Albanian police

According to official statements, undeclared cash found on travelers is seized as material evidence, and legal proceedings are initiated against the individuals involved. However, the bigger question remains: once these amounts are confiscated, where do they actually go? What happens to the money after it is taken by law enforcement?

Legal Framework and Handling of Confiscated Money

Under Albanian law, individuals carrying sums exceeding €10,000 across borders must declare them. Failure to do so results in legal consequences, including fines and potential prosecution. The seized cash is classified as evidence and is transferred to the authorities responsible for further investigation and legal processing. Typically, these funds should be deposited into a state-controlled account until judicial proceedings conclude.

If the money is deemed to be illicit or linked to criminal activity, it may be permanently confiscated and transferred to state institutions. However, there is little transparency on how these funds are managed after confiscation. Are they used for public projects? Do they become part of the police budget? Or do they end up in an untraceable bureaucratic loop?

Transparency Concerns

Despite frequent reports of money seizures, there is limited public information regarding what happens next. In many European countries, confiscated assets, including cash, are funneled into state funds or repurposed for law enforcement operations. Albania, however, lacks a clear mechanism for tracking and reporting these funds' final allocation.

This opacity raises concerns about potential misuse or misallocation. Are there proper audits ensuring that confiscated funds do not disappear? Does the government reinvest them in crime prevention programs, or are they absorbed into the general state budget without accountability?

The Need for More Transparency

To address these concerns, Albanian authorities should implement clear and public reporting mechanisms regarding seized assets. Regular updates on how much money has been confiscated and where it is allocated could help build trust in law enforcement and government institutions. Without such transparency, skepticism will continue to grow regarding whether these funds serve the public interest or are lost within the system.

As cases of cash seizures at border crossings continue to make headlines, so should the accountability of those handling the confiscated money. Only through greater transparency can the public be assured that these funds are not misused or misappropriated, but rather reinvested for the benefit of society.