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The criminal network of the Albanian mafia that sent cocaine from Ecuador to several countries in Europe is accused of laundering about 49 million dollars, the Spanish police announced this Friday, February 16.
On February 6, the operation "Pampa", or "Gran Fenix 13", between several states allowed the capture of 32 suspected members of the criminal organization, which was led by the Albanian Dritan Gjika, an associate of Ruben Cherres.
18 people were caught in Ecuador, 13 in Spain and 1 in the United Kingdom. This Friday, the Spanish Police released new details from the investigation, which remains open. Since 2019, 3.4 tons of cocaine have been seized from this organization, sent to countries such as Belgium, Russia, Romania, Albania, the Netherlands and Spain.
The drug was transported from Ecuador in fruit containers to European ports based on "a contract with its Colombian suppliers to receive 4,000 kilograms of cocaine per month," the police said.
The investigations have made it possible to discover laundered assets worth 36 million dollars in Ecuador and 12 million euros in Spain. In addition, they discovered that some of those investigated would launder their ill-gotten gains through the purchase of crypto-assets.
The criminal organization used a "complex business network" to launder the money, Spanish police detailed in a statement.
The investigation began in 2020, when "a businessman of Argentine origin" was discovered in Spain, based in the city of Marbella, who controlled a wide range of companies.
-Companies dedicated to the export of bananas from Ecuador to Spain
-Hospitality and nightlife businesses
Regarding these companies, the Spanish authorities discovered signs of hidden financing. This discovery led the Spanish authorities to investigate the origin of the money. Thus they established the existence of links between the businessman and maritime drug trafficking.
It was an investigation so complicated that it required four years of work and the cooperation of Europol, the Spanish Interior Ministers in Ecuador and Russia, and the Interior Attachés in Albania, Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey.
A money laundering "expert".
The Ecuadorian police had already announced that the Albanian Dritan Gjika led the criminal organization and his task was to introduce drugs from Colombia to Ecuador, to send them to European ports.
The other important task, that is the cleaning of money from drug trafficking, was in charge of "a cleaning expert", the Spanish Police announced, referring to the Argentine businessman, based in Marbella, whose name is not disclosed.
The complex financial network was "designed and managed" by him, who was the subject of a European Investigation Order by Dutch authorities.
During the investigation, the agents discovered money transfers to Barcelona. The Spanish authorities have seized properties worth about 12 million euros, blocked 88 bank accounts and legally intervened in four companies.
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