Senior anti-drug officer arrested for allegedly serving as confidential informant for Italian police.
TIRANA, May 6 – Albanian police say they have conducted several drug busts, seizing large amounts of marijuana in the south of the country.
Police in the southern city of Gjirokastra, which also covers the Lazarat area, the main area of cannabis sativa production in the country, seized half a ton of cannabis in two vehicles moving toward the nearby Greek border.
The same day, Greek police blocked some 170 kilograms on their side, also coming from Albania, and in close cooperation with their Albanian colleagues.
In another move, Albanian police arrested a senior anti-drug officer in the southwestern city of Fier for abuse of power and for inappropriate communications outside the police ranks. He was allegedly informing Italian police of his findings before informing those higher in the ranks in Albania, local media reported.
Five others were arrested in the same bust, involving trafficking 1.4 tons of marijuana to nearby Italy last November.
