Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) has announced the seizure of assets worth €12 million and the issuance of 11 arrest warrants as part of a major anti-drug operation targeting organized crime networks.
 |
According to the official statement, the operation is linked to ongoing investigations into international drug trafficking and money laundering. Authorities confirmed that the seized assets are suspected to have been generated through illegal activities, particularly narcotics trafficking, and were hidden through various investments and properties.
The assets placed under seizure include real estate, business units, land, and other properties located mainly in the coastal city of Durrës. Investigators believe these holdings were used to launder proceeds from criminal operations, reflecting a broader pattern of illicit funds entering the formal economy through construction, trade, and service sectors.
The operation is part of a wider international effort involving cooperation between Albanian authorities and partners in Italy. Previous investigations tied to the same case identified multiple criminal groups operating across borders, with activities extending from Albania to regions in Italy. These networks are suspected of organizing large-scale drug trafficking routes and reinvesting profits into legal businesses.
Authorities revealed that dozens of individuals have been investigated in connection with the case, with several already subject to security measures in both Albania and Italy. The 11 arrest warrants represent a continuation of enforcement actions aimed at dismantling the structure of these criminal organizations and preventing further financial activity linked to illegal trade.
The seized assets have been transferred to the administration of the relevant state agency, while financial investigations remain ongoing. SPAK emphasized that efforts will continue to identify additional properties possibly registered under third parties or concealed through complex ownership schemes.
This latest operation underscores Albania’s intensified crackdown on organized crime and drug trafficking, highlighting the growing role of financial investigations in targeting the economic foundations of criminal networks.