European ports flooded with cocaine/ Who are the Albanians, part of the criminal organization?

2025-08-08 18:10:00, Kronika CNA

European ports flooded with cocaine/ Who are the Albanians, part of the criminal

SPAK struck an international criminal organization after the dismantling of "SKY ECC".

According to SPAK, the international-scale criminal structure was led by Ervis Çela, who, together with his brother, had settled in Paraguay.

SPAK's investigations show that a discovered case of drug trafficking had an itinerary from Paraguay to Belgium through the port of Antwerp.

The group was led by Franc Gergeli Çopja and Ervis Çela, who in collaboration with a Brazilian citizen in September 2020 organized the trafficking of 11.6 tons of cocaine hidden in boxes of ink and "Fo x" soap.

These same citizens organized the trafficking of 16.4 tons of cocaine from Paraguay to Hamburg through metal paint cans worth between 1.5 billion and 3.5 billion euros.

Excerpt from SPAK's announcement

"During international investigations, two large cocaine shipments were identified and seized, transported from South America to Europe, and more specifically:

September 2020 – Paraguay → Belgium (Antwerp)

The group led by E.Ç. and FG, in collaboration with a Brazilian citizen, organized the trafficking of 11.6 tons of cocaine, hidden in soap boxes and metal paint cans with the “Fox” logo. The shipment departed from the port of Villeta (Paraguay) and arrived in Antwerp on 04.11.2020.

Subsequently, during police operations in Rotterdam, 600 kg of cocaine and 2 million euros were seized, and Albanian citizens MD and NB were arrested.

December 2020 – February 2021 – Paraguay → Germany (Hamburg)

E.Ç. and FG organized and financed the trafficking of 16.4 tons of cocaine, hidden in metal cans with construction paint/cough and stamped with logos (“red lightning eyes”, “Puma”, “infinity sign”), with a market value of 1.5 billion to 3.5 billion euros. The cargo, distributed in several containers, arrived in Hamburg on 12.02.2021 and was seized by German customs authorities. (Cocaine 'worth billions' seized in record Germany and Belgium haul).

Typology of criminal organization

Investigations conducted in cooperation with partner law enforcement authorities and analysis of intercepted communications in the SkyECC application have revealed a criminal structure of international proportions, led by citizens E.Ç. and FG, which fully controlled the cocaine trafficking chain – from production, storage and processing in Paraguayan laboratories, international transport and distribution to European markets, to the laundering and circulation of the proceeds./ CNA