TIRANA, March 3 – Albania remains a major source country for marijuana, as well as a transit route for shipment of cocaine and heroin destined for European markets, the United States Department of State says in its International Narcotics Control Strategy report.
The report praises the Albanian authorities’ string of arrests and seizures against drug production and trafficking networks operating in the country in 2015 but mostly attributes the success to continuing regional cooperation with Italian Police surveillance units.
“With the exception of cannabis, Albania is not a significant producer of illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, or synthetic drugs. Except for marijuana, illegal drug use does not appear to be common,” says the report.
In mid-2015, Albanian police cracked down on the notorious marijuana-growing village of Lazarat, southern Albania, when gunmen killed a police officer.
According to Albanian State Police, through the first 10 months of 2015, the volume of marijuana seizures totaled 6.87 metric tons.
Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri described the report as a success for Albania.
“The assessment by Albania’s most important partner is the best push to continue our path by reforming the police and improving service to citizens and achieving sustainable results in the fight against drugs,” Tahiri told reporters.
