Police mentions successes amid political criticism

TIRANA, Dec. 14 – Top policeman Hysni Burgaj said that 2010 was full of successes for the police work in the fight against organized crimes, illegal trafficking and corruption.
Burgaj mentioned some figures: four international operations, cracking down on 21 criminal organizations, extraditing 46 persons, starting penal processes for 1,920 persons in 453 penal cases.
But an increased number of murders was also recorded. Police have also hit 47 drug trafficking groupings and there was noted a lower number of planting and trafficking of cannabis sativa. Albania still remains a transit point for heroin.
Family crimes have increased too.
Road accidents have increased by nine percent compared to last year. From 1,468 accidents some 365 persons lost their lives.
But Prime Minister Sali Berisha was harsh in his words, not hiding being ironic when he mentioned cases of police blocking vehicles with drugs only when the driver had left. He also was very harsh on the road accident numbers, saying the country should lower them to reach European Union standards.