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Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Not only SPAK, but also district prosecutors' offices have thousands of people under surveillance...
Telephone tapping and electronic monitoring are becoming one of the main weapons of Albanian justice in the fight against crime. Combined data from the General Prosecutor's Office and SPAK for 2025 show a significant expansion of the use of these methods, leading to thousands of devices and people under surveillance.
By the district prosecutors' offices alone, 822 court decisions for wiretapping and 406 prosecutorial authorizations were executed during 2025. In total, 1771 terminal devices were intercepted that were used by 1642 persons suspected of involvement in serious criminal offenses, from crimes against life, corruption, drug trafficking, to money laundering and organized crime.
As part of these investigations, 236 people were arrested or detained through special means, which, according to the Prosecution, helped "prevent further consequences for the state and citizens."
But the main burden of interceptions seems to be shifting to SPAK. According to the Special Prosecution's report, 3,004 terminal devices were intercepted during 2025, bringing the total number of devices intercepted by all criminal prosecution structures in the country to over 4,700.
The interceptions at SPAK have not only served existing investigations. In some cases, new criminal offenses have been discovered from the intercepted communications, leading to the opening of other proceedings, an indication of the deepening of the investigations and the expansion of the criminal networks under surveillance.
In parallel, the National Bureau of Investigation has established the Preventive Interception Section and has significantly expanded access to databases, reaching 22 national and 3 international databases. Negotiations are ongoing for access to other platforms, including the European EMPACT network.
Meanwhile, SPAK is investing heavily in new surveillance technologies. For 2025 alone, projects worth 5.1 million euros have been approved, aimed at increasing electronic monitoring capacities.
One of the key elements is the IMSI Catcher device, worth around 1.8 million euros, which enables the identification and localization of mobile phones in a specific area, even when different SIM cards or temporary devices are used.
The panorama that emerges from this data is clear: wiretapping has become the mainstay of criminal investigations in Albania. From the district prosecutor's offices to SPAK, thousands of citizens and devices have been under monitoring during 2025, in an effort to crack down on crime at various levels.
But the growth of this instrument also raises questions about the balance between effectiveness in the fight against crime and guaranteeing citizens' rights, at a time when surveillance technology is becoming increasingly advanced and more present in criminal investigations. / Pamphlet
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