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EC: Albania’s narcotics business generates €260 mln annually

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10 years ago
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TIRANA, Nov. 24 – The narcotics business in Albania, which has thrived nationwide even after a mid-2015 police crackdown on the notorious marijuana growing Lazarat village, has a much higher share to the GDP compared to leading EU members, the European Commission warns in its latest progress report on Albania. The Commission estimates illicit proceeds of narcotics in Albania is equal to 2.6 percent of the GDP, about €260 million, only slightly lower compared to the 2.9 percent of the GDP the Albanian government plans to spend on the key health sector for 2017. “According to specialized UN bodies, profits…

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Story Highlights

  • "According to specialized UN bodies, profits from the illicit opiate trade continued to constitute considerable financial incentives for organized criminal groups in Albania. Illicit proceeds of narcotics account for a significant proportion of Albania’s GDP (2.60 percent, compared to 0.07-0.19 percent for countries such as France, Germany, Italy and United Kingdom)," says a European Commission report.

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