Cannabis cultivation in Albania expected to increase
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TIRANA, June 1 - Albania is expected to see an increase of cannabis production in the wake of the coronavirus. According to a report compiled by Europol, the cultivation of herbal cannabis is expected to increase as law enforcement resources are diverted to enforce compliance with COVID-19 restriction measures.
The report points out that certain trafficking routes from the Western Balkans are still in use, based on recent large seizures of herbal cannabis in Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. In addition, in early May, a one metric tonne seizure of herbal cannabis was reported near the Albanian-Greek border.
According to sources presented in the report, the COVID-19 pandemic does not have a direct effect on the domestic production of herbal cannabis. Only Bulgaria reported a decrease in production. This may be linked to the continuation of well-established criminal mechanisms and cultivation sites in several countries.
"These illegal markets continue to generate huge profits, including during the pandemic. Seizures of illegal drugs in some EU countries during the first half of 2020 have been higher than in the same months of previous years," Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol stated.
The Albanian government is close to concluding a draft law which allows for the cultivation of medical cannabis in the country. General Prosecutor Olsian Cela earlier said that cannabis cultivation has increased mainly in four districts; Vlora, Kruja, Shkodra and Gjirokastra, which puts doubts over the government's plan on how to control the possible market.
Currently, cannabis possession - excluding amounts for personal use-, cultivation and transport is illegal in Albania and there is no medical marijuana program. Nevertheless, the country has been a major transit point for drugs entering Europe from Asia and Latin America. In 2014, the police raided and destroyed major cannabis plantations in the southeastern city of Lazarat, once considered as the drug capital of Europe. According to government data, the raid destroyed 102 tons of marijuana and 530,000 marijuana plants with an estimated market value at the time of 6.4 billion euros — more than 60 percent of the GDP.
Despite these raids, Albania continues to hold a bad reputation as Europe's cannabis hub; In the US Department of State 2019 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Albania was valued as being "both a source country of cannabis and, increasingly, a transit country for cocaine and heroin commanded largely by organized crime elements moving illicit drugs from source countries into European markets."
