TIRANA, July 15 – A suspect arrested two months ago, together with three foreign citizens, in a drug bust that netted 40 kilograms of heroin, the largest amount ever sequestered in Albania, was released by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The court decided to free Zaim Tafa as he awaits trial, while prosecutors say they have a strong case against him and the suspect presents a flight-risk.
Tafa was arrested in May together with three German citizens as they tried to smuggle the heroin load through the Greek-Albania border crossing of Kakavia.
The arrests were made after several months of electronic surveillance of the suspects, including videotaped evidence of the suspects hauling the drugs to the border crossing.
The suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
Albania is a transit point for Afghan heroin smuggled to Western Europe following a route through Turkey and other eastern neighbors like the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Then, in close collaboration with the Italian Mafia, they try to smuggle heroin to Italy and further to Western Europe.
Drug suspect released by the Supreme Court
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