FLASH
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Operation 'Gioele': Albanians at the head of the Italy–Spain–Albania drug trafficking
An important blow was dealt to international drug trafficking, centered in the Salento region and with branches in other European countries. The Guardia di Finanza of Lecce has announced the closure of preliminary investigations against 29 suspects, part of a criminal network composed mainly of Italians and Albanians, as well as one Spaniard.
The operation, codenamed "Gioele" and coordinated by the Lecce Anti-Mafia Directorate, has uncovered a well-structured organization, based in the province of Lecce, but active in many regions of Italy. The investigations have shown strong international links, particularly with Spain and Albania, from where the large quantity of drugs prepared to be distributed on the Italian market came.
The network and the main suspects
Numerous names have been identified in the list of those investigated, including dozens of Albanian citizens, some known as key figures in the organization:
Lulëzim Kule (known as Luli or Jimmy), 49 years old, Albanian, resident in Marche, considered one of the main leaders, with a role in the supply, transport and storage of cocaine, maintaining contacts with Albania and Spain.
Carlo Serio , 51, resident of Ibiza but residing in Torre Chianca (Lecce), described as Kula's right-hand man in Italy. Serio is already known for his involvement in other investigations into mafia clans in the region.
Francesco Prato, 55, from Lecce and Laura Borioni, 51, from Rome, both linked to the network's logistical activities.
Alfred Feta , 56 years old; Arjan Komini , 44 years old; Shkëlqim Sinani , 48 years old; Kujtim Zeqe , 53 years old – Albanians accused of trafficking hashish and marijuana from the coast of Albania to Italy.
Endri and Ervis Xhumbaraj , Albanians, who, along with their relative Lusjan Mbole , are accused of building links between Albanian and Italian criminal organizations.
The full list also includes other Albanian and Italian names involved in smaller roles, from drug distribution to drug storage.
Two and a half tons of drugs and millions of euros in profits
The investigations, conducted by GICO (Organized Crime Investigation Group), lasted from 2018 to 2020, leading to the arrest of around 30 people in flagrante delicto. In total, 2,677 kilograms of drugs – including cocaine, heroin, hashish and marijuana – as well as 4,975 liters of hashish oil were seized.
Authorities also confiscated 192,000 euros in cash, 16 vehicles and 4 boats used for drug transportation. According to the prosecution, the seized drugs would have brought the network illegal profits of around 6 million euros if they had been released on the market.
Main groups and their roles
The Kule–Serio group: considered the main pillar, with supplies from abroad and distribution in Italy. Serio, with experience and economic capacity, was in charge of organizing the traffic and had collaborators such as Alessandro Marchello (from Cavallino), Marco Scalise (from Milan) and the Spaniard Joan Herrera Sotorres. For the production of hashish, the organization used the expertise of Matteo Fracarolli from Reggio Emilia, who had set up processing laboratories through the manipulation of “light” cannabis.
The Xhumbaraj group: the two Albanian brothers Endri and Ervis, together with Lusjan Mbole and Mauro Centonze from Lecce, created bridges between Albanian and Italian traffickers, organizing the transportation and hiding of drugs.
The Feta–Komini–Sinani–Zeqe group: specialized in importing large quantities of marijuana and hashish from Albania, through the Adriatic Sea channels. Luigi Buttazzo, 69 years old from Lecce, considered Zeqe's trusted man, helped unload and store the drugs in Torre Chianca.
Conclusion: a destroyed international network
Operation “Gioele” dismantled one of the largest drug trafficking schemes between Albania, Spain and Italy, based in Salento. The investigation brought to light not only the industrial scale of the trafficking, but also the strength of the cooperation between Albanian and Italian criminal groups.
The colossal amount of drugs, specialized laboratories, means of transport and huge profits point to a high-level organization, which had been operating under the radar for years. For Italian investigators, this operation is a major step against international drug trafficking, but also an alarm signal about the power of Albanian networks in the European drug market. / Adapted from " Lecce Prima "
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