TIRANA, July 15 – A suspect arrested two months ago, together with three foreign citizens, in a drug bust that netted 40 kilograms of heroin, the largest amount ever sequestered in Albania, was released by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The court decided to free Zaim Tafa as he awaits trial, while prosecutors say they have a strong case against him and the suspect presents a flight-risk.
Tafa was arrested in May together with three German citizens as they tried to smuggle the heroin load through the Greek-Albania border crossing of Kakavia.
The arrests were made after several months of electronic surveillance of the suspects, including videotaped evidence of the suspects hauling the drugs to the border crossing.
The suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
Albania is a transit point for Afghan heroin smuggled to Western Europe following a route through Turkey and other eastern neighbors like the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Then, in close collaboration with the Italian Mafia, they try to smuggle heroin to Italy and further to Western Europe.
Drug suspect released by the Supreme Court
Change font size:
Latest from News
Dirty Money in the Skyline: Albania’s Tower Boom and the Laundering of Criminal Wealth
Change font size: - + Reset From towers to “new pyramids”: how money from organized crime, international drug trafficking and entrenched corruption is reshaping Tirana while leaving behind empty buildings, distorted prices
Albania Slips Into Electoral Autocracy
Change font size: - + Reset V Dem places Albania in a category dominated by African states, with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina the only Western Balkan countries in the same group.
Albania Draws a Red Line on Iran
Change font size: - + Reset Parliament’s decision to label Tehran a state sponsor of terrorism formalizes a break years in the making and reflects a broad Albanian consensus that Iran has
US Targets Iran Linked Cyber Network as Albania Emerges as Key Victim
Change font size: - + Reset Tirana Times, March 17, 2026 – The United States has moved to dismantle a cyber network linked to Iran’s intelligence apparatus, seizing four domains used for
Albania’s AI Facade Cracks While Neighbors Win EU Funds
Change font size: - + Reset Tirana Times, February 10, 2026 – Serbia and North Macedonia have secured concrete European Union funding to integrate into Europe’s emerging artificial intelligence infrastructure, while Albania—despite