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Albanian intelligence links the tycoon to cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe, and investigations show that the criminal organization led by Mata allegedly had contacts with a member of the Valencia port network.
The Albanian Special Prosecution Office has issued an arrest warrant for Albanian tycoon Ervin Mata for the failed shipment of 69 kilograms of cocaine from the port of Santos to São Paulo (Brazil) and Valencia, as well as for his suspected connection to the "port drug" network dismantled by the National Police.
Albanian intelligence links the tycoon to cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe, and investigations show that the criminal organization led by Mata allegedly had contacts with a member of the Valencia port network.
The Albanian Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime, which consists of the Special Prosecution and the Judicial Police, believes that the tycoon was the person most responsible for the attempted shipment to Valencia of 69 kilograms of cocaine, which were seized at the port of Santos during a routine check. The drugs were hidden in a shipment of lemon juice.
The arrest warrant was issued on September 23, a day after arrests began in Valencia as part of the massive "Merimanga" operation, which Las Provincias exclusively reported, and comes after Albania requested Mata's arrest from Brazilian authorities.
According to investigations by the Albanian Special Prosecution Office, the fugitive has made real estate investments in Tirana in recent years with money from drug trafficking and has used his construction and hotel businesses to launder his wealth. The tycoon is accused of belonging to a criminal organization, money laundering and conspiracy to commit a crime.
In addition to the drugs he tried to send to Valencia, he also smuggled 240 kilograms of cocaine from South America to Frankfurt, Germany, in September 2020. Anti-drug agents suspect that the fugitive is hiding in Brazil.
As this newspaper has previously reported, among the 81 people arrested in the massive "Merimanga" operation are three suspected Albanian drug traffickers. According to investigators from the National Police's Drug and Organized Crime Unit (UDYCO), the Balkan cartel and a Colombian drug organization were at the forefront of drug trafficking operations in the port of Valencia.
Two of the port workers arrested in Valencia had international connections and met with high-level members of the Balkan cartel. The latter traveled to Spain to close negotiations and also provided large sums of money to finance drug trafficking operations.
The most important role of these leaders was to consolidate the infrastructure that allowed the recovery of cocaine shipments as soon as they arrived at the port in containers. Corrupt port workers then activated the mechanisms to extract the drugs with the consent of freight forwarders, transport companies and truck drivers. According to UDYCO investigators, the "narcoport" network was the "backbone" of the international cocaine trafficking networks operating in Valencia.
We recall that two days ago, "Pamfleti" announced that the Federal Supreme Court in Brazil has issued an arrest warrant for businessman Ervin Mata, who has moved to Brazil, while the Albanian state is seeking his extradition.
The order was issued by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil, and the decision states:
"I decree the preliminary arrest of Ervin Mata, ordering the issuance of an arrest warrant, the execution of which must be immediately communicated to this SUPREME COURT, the Ministry of Justice, Interpol and the diplomatic mission of the interested state."
Ervin Mata was declared wanted in November 2023 by order of SPAK for participation in a structured criminal group with activity in the field of drug trafficking from Latin America to Europe, while the Brazilian state is known to have issued the arrest warrant on March 11, while the decree was published on September 23. Currently, Ervin Mata has not yet been arrested.
The Albanian government has filed a request with the Brazilian courts for the extradition of the businessman. In the foreign country (Albania), he is accused of drug trafficking, participation in a criminal organization and criminal association.
According to the Albanian government, investigations have collected evidence and show that the businessman coordinated the trafficking of 240 kg of cocaine in Frankfurt, Germany, in September 2020.
CNN Brasil, citing "Pamphlet", writes that Mata has been internationally wanted since November 2023. He is believed to have earned 81 million lek, equivalent to approximately 5.2 million rand, from drug trafficking.
The fugitive is also suspected of organizing and financing the murders.
In the decision, Minister Alexandre de Moraes states that the detention aims to ensure the execution of any extradition order.
"I DECREE the preliminary arrest of ERVIN MATA, ordering the issuance of an arrest warrant, the fulfillment of which must be immediately communicated to this SUPREME COURT, the Ministry of Justice, Interpol and the diplomatic representation of the interested state", the minister orders.
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