The case heats up political rhetoric in Albania, with the opposition saying the event proves its previous accusations that segments of the state are cooperating with drug traffickers. Government cries foul, says it’s doing its job in fighting trafficking and cultivation that flourished under previous administration.
TIRANA, May 14 – Albanian police have detained an Italian pilot and an Albanian driver under suspicion of drugs trafficking, after a small plane crash landed in a beach in central Albania, and police captured a vehicle filled with marijuana in a nearby area.
Police said they seized 460 kilograms of cannabis and 27,000 euros in cash the vehicle and, which they say were to be moved to the Piper single-propeller plane for transportation to Italy. But the plane was incapacitated by a rough landed that damaged its propeller and a busted tire at Divjaka Beach, 80 kilometers southwest of the capital, Tirana.
The case has lead to an increased political rhetoric in Albania, with the opposition saying the event proves its previous accusations that segments of the state are cooperating with drug traffickers and that drug trafficking was taking place through the use of small private planes.
Albanian driver admits to trafficking, Italian pilot denies any ties
Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri said in a press conference the plane had left Tirana International Airport about an hour before it made to the beach. It was in Albania under permission to conduct a tourist tour of the Albanian shore. Records show the plane had never been in Albania before it flew to TIA, authorities said.
The Albanian man arrested is Saimir Bajrami, 35, of Durres. He had recently returned from immigration in Italy. The Italian pilot, Giorgo Riformato, had had previous troubles with the law in Italy, media in both countries reported.
Bajrami told a Tirana court he admitted that he was smuggling drugs in cooperation with the Italian pilot and he did so due to economic difficulties. Riformato denied any involvement in front of the court. His lawyer said the Italian man was in Albania to pursue business opportunities in the tourism and aviation sectors.
Bajrami had told police the same day that he was trying to hand over the cannabis found in his damaged car to the Italian pilot and would use the money he had to pay him for the transport, the Interior Ministry said. The Italian pilot has denied any links to the Albanian driver.
But police and prosecutors insist as they have evidence showing both men meeting each other. They had lived in the same area in Italy. The Albanian told police he had turned to the drug traffic after he had gone bankrupt in his construction business. He had contacted another Italian who had undertaken to sell the drug in the Italian market and also arranged the Italian pilot to transport it with the private plane.
Bajrami told police he had secured the drug in his native district of Kruja and had paid 300 euro per kilo while the Italian transporter would be paid 400 euro per kilo. Then the sale in the Italian market would be higher and secure him money.
Opposition holds anti-government protest
The opposition Democratic Party immediately said it approved its recent assertions in parliament and in public that drugs were being transported by plane. The opposition had earlier said military logistics and airfields were being used by drug traffickers, and called on all all the top government officials to resign — including Prime Minister Edi Rama, Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri and Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli.
Government officials have repeatedly denied deny any involvement of state and military structures, and have accused the case has captivate public debate in Albania for a month, being the focus of debate all media outlets. The prime minister said Tuesday all state structure are doing their job in fighting trafficking and cultivation that flourished under previous administration.
On Tuesday, the opposition abandoned the investigative parliamentary commission on the charges of army involvement in the drug traffic. They said their assertions had been proven by the discover of the crash-landed plane and they need to focus on other topics.
The opposition leader, Tirana Mayor Lulzim Basha spoke to a protest rally in front of parliament Thursday, the day the parliament holds its regular session. He said the protest rally sought the resignation of the prime minister, not new elections.
“The Democratic Party and the entire opposition today demands the immediate resignation of the Rama government. No more. No less,” Basha said. “The resignation of this government is the imperative of the day to reflect the most unfulfilled responsibilities, to stop the sinister wave of narco-trafficking and crime, to unlock democratic life and the process of European integration.”
The Socialist-led government said it has achieved better results than the previous Democratic Party-led government against drug trafficking, having already already seized more than 16 tons of cannabis.
Prime Minister Rama said the opposition is trying “to dirty the image of the country” through its accusations in order for Albania not to be granted candidate status for membership in the EU next month. Left-wing media outlets close to the government has also suggested the plane incident was set up by the opposition for political reasons.
“To compare today’s Albania with yesterday’s Colombia, being Albanian under these conditions, when after so many years and Albanians have suffered and continue to suffer Šthe prejudices of others towards us and our country, and to doing this today, so slanderously with such a low and monstrous purpose of manipulating public opinion — Albanian and international Šit means Što inspire crime and being a force that does not care at all deep down about the country and its destiny — the interests, hopes and dreams of the people,” said Rama in a lengthy and emotional live television appearance on Tuesday night in response to the Democratic Party accusations.
