A major transnational drug trafficking and money laundering ring with links between Switzerland and Albania has been dismantled following months of joint investigations by judicial authorities in both countries. The group, reportedly run by individuals of Balkan origin, is suspected of operating an extensive cocaine distribution network throughout Switzerland.
Authorities uncovered a sophisticated money laundering scheme centered in the Swiss city of Lucerne. The profits from drug trafficking were allegedly funneled through an informal money transfer system, involving a travel agency with branches in Basel and Kosovo.
According to the Swiss daily Aargauer Zeitung, six individuals have been arrested in Switzerland since last September. Among them is the alleged Swiss-based ringleader, identified by the initials E.F., who remains in pre-trial detention.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecution Office (SPAK) announced the arrest of two more suspects believed to be key figures within the organization. While their names were not officially disclosed, investigative media reports have identified one of them as P.K., a known associate of E.F. with a history of involvement in illicit smuggling networks.
According to SPAK, the suspects—E.F., B.F., and P.K.—operated a money transfer network that handled large sums of cash generated from drug sales in Switzerland. The process involved handing over funds to trusted operatives in Switzerland, who would then notify their counterparts in Tirana of the amount and recipient. The money would subsequently be delivered in Albania under the direct supervision of the group’s leadership.
Investigators estimate that several million euros may have been transferred through this method.
Some of the individuals in custody—including the travel agency owner and his two sons—have lodged formal complaints against their detention orders. The Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed the cross-border cooperation with Albanian authorities but has declined to comment further on the ongoing case.
SPAK has confirmed that the investigation is still active and that additional legal actions are expected in the coming weeks.