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3 clusters · 24 sources · 14 days · First seen · Last updated

Albanian cannabis trafficking networks

Overview

Investigations have highlighted the reach of Albanian organized crime in the cannabis trade, both domestically and internationally. In the United Kingdom, reports indicate the presence of at least 450 illegal cannabis farms operated by Albanian groups, a multi-billion pound industry that has occasionally resulted in gang violence. These operations often utilize residential properties to evade detection.

This situation has intersected with legal challenges regarding the deportation of Albanian nationals who are victims of human trafficking and forced into cultivation. British immigration judges have placed new restrictions on the deportation of such individuals, noting a “lack of specialized protection structures in Albania for young men who have been exploited abroad.”

In Albania, law enforcement has conducted several targeted operations. During a joint operation at the Port of Durrës involving the Prosecutor's Office and customs, authorities seized approximately 107.7 kilograms of ‘Gelato’ cannabis, valued at roughly 1.2 million euros. The narcotics were discovered hidden in modified and wood-covered compartments of a camper arriving from Canada. Two individuals remain wanted in connection with this trafficking investigation.

Domestic efforts continue through ‘Operation Neonët’ in Shkodër. In the fourth phase of this operation, police arrested a 22-year-old in Vau i Dejës and conducted a raid in Velipojë, seizing 308 suspected cannabis plants, 85 grams of dried substance, and 122 electrical devices. This raid led to the legal processing of two OSHEE employees, aged 50 and 59, for ‘abuse of office’ regarding the illegal use of electricity. Additionally, police arrested two suspects, aged 25 and 28, who had converted residential spaces in Barbullush into indoor cultivation sites using specialized lighting.

Entities

Albania · Kosovo · Luan Gashi · Ontario · Oshee

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 7 days ago

    [CRIME] 3 sources
    Shkodër police arrest multiple suspects in cannabis cultivation raids

    Albanian police in Shkodër arrested several individuals during ‘Operation Neonët’ for illegal cannabis cultivation and electricity theft, seizing over 300 plants and equipment.

  2. 20 days ago

    [CRIME] 19 sources
    Durrës Port drug bust: 80kg of cannabis seized from Canada

    Albanian police seized 80kg of Gelato cannabis worth €1 million at Durrës Port. The drugs were smuggled from Ontario, Canada, in a modified vehicle. Three Kosovar citizens were arrested.

  3. 21 days ago

    [CRIME] 5 sources
    Albanian organized crime and trafficking linked to UK cannabis industry

    Investigations reveal hundreds of Albanian-run cannabis farms in the UK, while a British court ruling restricts the deportation of Albanian trafficking victims due to safety concerns.

Sources

24-ore.com · 360grade.al · abcnews.al · aktuale.mk · anguillanews.com · balkanweb.com · ekonomiaonline.com · fjala.al · gazeta.mk · gijotina.com · javanews.al · koha.mk · korcaboom.com · kosovaport.com · ntv.al · portalb.mk · qendra.info · shekulli.com.al · shkodraweb.com · tetovasot.com · teve1.info · topalbaniaradio.com · ts.mk · vizionplus.tv

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history