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Cocaine trafficking from Latin America to Albania using cattle hides/ SPAK closes investigation, announces charges

2026-01-16 11:24:00, Kronika CNA

Cocaine trafficking from Latin America to Albania using cattle hides/ SPAK

SPAK has closed the investigations and announced the charges against the group that was caught trafficking cocaine from Latin America to Albania, hidden in cattle hides.

The charges have been communicated to citizens GS, 42 years old, resident of Tirana, KB, 40 years old, resident of Tirana, A.Ç., 37 years old, resident of Tirana, ES, 25 years old, resident of Kruja, AZ, 37 years old, resident of Tirana, IA, 51 years old, resident of Shkodër, BH, 57 years old, resident of Durrës, HLN, 41 years old, Colombian citizen, JRV, 35 years old, Venezuelan citizen, SAS, 42 years old, Venezuelan citizen.

The Special Prosecution announced on November 16, 2024, that it had cracked down on an international network of cocaine trafficking from Latin American countries, contaminated and then processed and trafficked in Albania and the European market.

This investigation led to the arrest of seven Albanian citizens and three Latin American citizens, as well as the discovery and seizure of a sophisticated cocaine processing laboratory located in the village of Qerekë, Fushë Krujë. Auxiliary facilities were also identified in Tirana and Durrës. Significant quantities of raw materials suspected of mixing and concealing narcotics, quantities of cocaine, chemical mixtures, specialized objects for concealing drugs, laboratory equipment, sums of money and means of transport used for criminal activity were seized.

The seized evidence includes 48 tons of raw material (approximately 850 cattle hides) suspected of containing narcotics, imported from Latin America in September and November 2024; 6.1 kg of narcotics suspected of being cocaine; 36,270 euros, 357,046 new lekë and 57 million Colombian pesos (approximately 12,200 euros); 89.5 kg of solid mixture and 50 kg of liquid solution for the preparation of cocaine;

Laboratory equipment, such as presses, axtons, glass test tubes, chemical preparations, microwaves, packaging bags, and heat lamps; 22 mobile phones, 2 laptops, 7 bank cards, and 17 SIM cards; 3 vehicles of different brands, and other important documents.

From the investigative data, it emerged that this group operates as an international criminal network, collaborating with criminal organizations in Latin America to traffic cocaine towards Albania and the European Union countries. In the country, they used a laboratory and auxiliary facilities for the extraction of the drug from “salted cattle hides”, its processing before it was trafficked to the intended markets. The structure of the group included citizens from several cities in the country, well-defined roles, including financiers, transporters, processors, and distributors.

This network displayed efficient cooperation between experienced foreign experts and well-organized local elements, creating a functional and multidimensional mechanism of criminal activity.

The Colombians and Venezuelans, known for their in-depth expertise in handling and processing cocaine, were the “experts” who guaranteed the technical success of the operation. Their ability to extract cocaine from organic materials, such as “cattle hides,” turned the raw drug into a ready-made, high-quality product for the Albanian and European markets. This collaboration demonstrates not only the international dimension of the group, but also its intentions to operate at high levels of organization and the use of advanced technology in drug processing.

The laboratory set up in the Fushë Krujë district and the auxiliary facilities in Tirana and Durrës were located at strategic points of the national infrastructure. Close to the country’s largest airport and the port of Durrës, these areas made it difficult for law enforcement agencies to monitor them from the air, and on the other hand facilitated the rapid transport of drugs and chemical compounds, ensuring quick access to national and international markets. The selection of these locations clearly shows careful planning, where the close proximity to the main national logistics hubs was a key factor for the uninterrupted functioning of this criminal network.

The network operated in a synchronized manner, with each link defined in detail. Foreign experts focused on the technical processing processes, using their skills to set up drug processing laboratories. Meanwhile, Albanian financiers provided the investments, equipment and chemical ingredients. Local transporters and processors played their role in ensuring the safe movement of drugs and equipment, while distributors were tasked with getting the drugs to the intended markets./ CNA





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