International gas smuggling ring investigated by Italian and Albanian authorities

Italian authorities are investigating an international criminal group involved in the smuggling of refrigerant gas from China. The group, which includes five Italians, three Bulgarians, and one Ukrainian, is suspected of importing gas used in refrigerators and air conditioning systems while evading customs inspections and taxes.

According to investigators, the contraband was stored, processed, and illegally relabeled before being sold on the Italian market at lower prices. The scheme allegedly utilized fictitious invoices and sham transactions to conceal the origin and movement of illicit funds. The investigation was triggered by the seizure of a significant quantity of gas cylinders and supported by wiretaps and surveillance footage.

As part of an international legal assistance request, the Albanian Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK) is currently auditing the assets, bank accounts, and financial operations of the nine suspects and seven associated companies in Albania. Financial transactions linked to the smuggling have been identified in Bulgaria, Greece, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.