Tirana set to destroy cannabis plantations

TIRANA, March 24 – Authorities expressed their concern and determination Wednesday on the fight against plantations of the cannabis sativa in the country.
Speaking at a meeting on preventing drug distribution in the country Prime Minister Sali Berisha warned all local authorities would be faced with the law unless they warned police on planted cannabis in their area.
At a time when the European Union is planning lifting visas for Albanians they should not be frightened with a surge of cannabis coming from this tiny Balkan country, said the premier.
Top policeman Hysni Burgaj said that 2009 could be considered a year of success with 14 percent less cannabis planted, according to their figures. He also said that they had cut some 125,000 plants and only in the last month blocked about two tonnes of cannabis while being transited out of the country, mainly to the neighbouring Greece and nearby Italy.
The interior Minister Lulzim Basha said that police would be soon equipped with the satellite vision of the areas so that they could fight more efficiently the drug planting and traffic.
Albania is a country of origin for cannabis and also a transit point for heroin coming from Asia.