TIRANA, March 14 – The Italian anti-mafia department of Bari took down an Albanian-Italian drug-trafficking network on Wednesday that is alleged to have transported narcotics to the Italian coastline in speedboats.
The operation, in progress since 2016 under the Albanian code-name Shefi (the Boss), began with 43 arrest orders for around 20 Italians, 21 Albanians and a couple of Romanians, local media reported.
Additional sources report four of the suspects were arrested in Albania, while Italian media reported the operation target two major international drug trafficking networks transporting considerable amounts of both light and hard drugs through the sea.
Published investigations showed these networks have been caught in different times and locations with narcotics amounting to €15 million in monetary value.
While Italian authorities said more than 200 employees of both Italian and Albanian authorities engaged in the operation, Albanian representatives have so far been silent because it is still “under development” .
In terms of number of arrested individuals, Shefi operation is considered one of the most successful international drug trafficking targeting operations.
These operations are part of the bigger campaign to tackle international drug-trafficking that both comes from Albania or uses the country as transit after growing concerns about the alleged vital role criminality and corruption play in political affairs.
This week’s Tuesday and Wednesday local media reported Albanian authorities also blocked approximately 1.3 tons of cannabis in two separate operations in Korca and Gjirokaster, in the south of Albania.
According to police authorities, two people were arrested and two more declared wanted.
