FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Three criminal groups suspected of international cocaine and heroin trafficking have been hit in the operation codenamed 'Ura' by law enforcement structures from Italy and Albania, coordinated by Eurojust.
In an official statement, Eurojust provided details regarding the operation.
“Authorities in Italy and Albania have dealt a major blow to three interconnected organized crime groups (OCGs) involved in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. Arrest warrants were issued in one day for 52 suspects, including individuals believed to be at the highest levels of the OCG hierarchies.
"During the day of the operation, authorities in both countries seized assets worth at least several million euros, including apartments and companies, as well as various luxury vehicles. Large amounts of cash, cocaine and heroin were also seized. A full and complete assessment of the seizures will be carried out in the coming days," the Eurojust statement said.
It is further emphasized that there is no full assessment of the total profits secured by the criminal groups, however, information obtained through the JIT indicates that the criminal networks were involved in payments, often in cash, of almost 5 million euros and in the trafficking of at least 1800 kilograms of cocaine and heroin.
“Investigations into the linked criminal organizations were initiated in 2016 by the Bari Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime of Tirana and the Albanian Police. On the Albanian side, a criminal group, operating from Durres, was responsible for the transportation and wholesale distribution of large quantities of cocaine, heroin and cannabis trafficked between the Balkans, Northern Europe, South America and Puglia in Italy.
"Two criminal gangs led by Italians carried out the cutting and packaging of drugs and supplied cocaine and heroin arriving from Latin America and Turkey to local gangs and organizations in Bari, Brindisi and Lecce," the Eurojust statement said.
The arrests in Italy and Albania are the result of long-term cooperation, while the methods of telephone interception, intensive video surveillance, monitoring of suspects and analysis of encrypted conversations were applied to detect members of the criminal groups. These conversations were decrypted after intensive cooperation through Eurojust.
According to Eurojust, this week's operation was carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:
Italy: Bari Public Prosecutor's Office - Antimafia District Directorate; Bari Antimafia Investigation Directorate, under the coordination of the National Antimafia and Antiterrorism Directorate of Rome, with the support of the Security Expert Office at the Italian Embassy in Tirana.
Albania: Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) of Tirana; Albanian Police
Lini një Përgjigje