TIRANA, Feb. 25 – Authorities and political leaders in Albania say they are worried by what appears to be a rise in drug trafficking involving the country.
Last weekend, police reported that 1 metric ton of cannabis sativa was found in two vehicles that had taken it from the Lazarat village in the south and were trying to transport it toward the capital. It would be further sent to nearby Italy, according to authorities. Police also arrested two persons involved in the traffic.
The same day police also arrested four people in the northern city of Shkodra who were transporting 169 kilograms of marijuana.
In Vlora police found a hidden tunnel in the coast used from traffickers as a base for their start of the trips. Police found the hidden place some 700-800 meters away from the coast, covered with leaves and sequestered a 9-meter speedboat, another vehicle used to transport it on land, a power generator and other tools.
While in southeastern Korca city police seized 308 kilograms of cannabis and arrested three persons involved in the traffic.
Again the drug was taken from the Lazarat village in southern Gjirokastra district, close to the Greek border.
At the same time police arrested a person in western Durres, who last week had shot dead two other alleged traffickers following a dispute on the price of the cannabis they would buy from him.
