TIRANA, June 25 – An amount of approximately 3.4 million euros in cash was found on Sunday by Albanian police inside a Toyota vehicle coming from Belgium at the Durres port.
The car was loaded on a carrier along with nine other vehicles and had embarked on the Ancona-Durres ferry line through Italy.
According to preliminary information, the cash is suspected to belong to an Albanian criminal group that has been under the surveillance of police forces and intelligence agencies for a long time, however the police has yet to release an official statement.
The vehicles were being transported by Edi Lika, who, local media reports, has been detained by the police.
Lika owns an Auto Service in Tirana and is also licensed to internationally transport vehicles for himself and third parties and rent them out.
Sources on Monday reported the amount of cash found was actually over 4 million euros, hidden in suitcases under the car seats and other parts of the vehicles.
The vehicle check from authorities came as a result of preliminary information from Italy’s Europol office. Another lead concerning the case is that the huge amount of cash is an attempt to launder money in Albania.
Police sources and local media have so far said that the three persons detained are Eduart Lika, the owner of the transporting company, Klevis Lika (19-years-old), who accompanied the vehicle’s driver, and the truck’s driver, Agim Ceka.
Meanwhile, political debates have also accompanied the case , coming from last week’s parliamentary session during which opposition leader Lulzim Basha told parliamentary group leader Taulant Balla that his “Toyota Yaris vehicle was discovered.”
“One of those laughing the most was in Germany three days ago. Remember what I’m telling you. And he has ordered a Toyota Yaris, but they’ve discovered your Toyota, you clown; along with the 1.5 million euros coming from drugs inside,” Basha said.
According to Basha, “the money belongs to one of the most dangerous drug trafficking gangs, mainly operating in the Elbasan area, but also the rest of Albania. Secondly, Balla had an agreement to guarantee the money entrance in Albania without a problem. Thirdly, Albanian police was under the pressure of one of our partners. It’s one of our partnering countries, which is skeptic when it comes to Albania’s integration, especially when it comes to fighting crime and corruption.”
Through a Facebook status, Balla said the accusations are part of the Democrat leader’s daily false accusations and expressed pity the country’s opposition has ended up lying on a daily basis to ensure political resistance.
