Police have seized 80 kilograms of cannabis at the port of Durres coming from Canada to Albania.
Taulant Duraku, Luan Gashi and Besfort Jaka have been arrested, while 2 others are wanted. The cannabis was divided into 127 packages labeled “Gelato.” The value is estimated at around 1 million euros. 3 vehicles, 5 cell phones and around 11,000 euros have been seized.
Police announcement:
A case of trafficking of the narcotic cannabis from Canada to Albania has been cracked.
About 80 kg of "Gelato" cannabis, with a high THC content and a market value of about 1 million euros, were seized.
3 citizens are arrested and 2 others are wanted.
The operation was carried out by the Narcotics Investigation Sector at the Durrës DVP, under the direction of the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction of Durrës, in cooperation with the Durrës Local Directorate for Border and Migration, the Durrës DVP Special Operational Force, Customs structures, as well as the Directorate of the Special Operational Force.
Following successive strikes to prevent and crack down on drug trafficking, the Durrës Local Police Directorate, in cooperation with the Durrës Local Directorate for Border and Migration, successfully finalized the police operation codenamed "Anchor", the result of an in-depth investigation conducted with special investigative methods, within the framework of a criminal proceeding.
As a result of intensive and coordinated investigative actions, it became possible to document a suspected international drug trafficking scheme, carried out in cooperation, where 127 packages of suspected cannabis narcotics, known on the market under the name "Gelato", with a total weight of around 80 kilograms and a high THC content, were seized at the Port of Durrës.
Also, 3 vehicles, 5 mobile phones and around 11,000 euros in cash were seized. The market value of the seized narcotics is estimated at around 1 million euros.
Investigations suspect that the narcotics were obtained in Ontario, Canada, and transported to Albania, hidden in a specially modified compartment in a vehicle ordered for purchase in Canada.
However, investigations suspect that, after arriving in Albania, the narcotics were further distributed throughout the territory of Albania and Kosovo.
Following the operation, it was possible to locate and arrest 3 citizens.
TD, 32 years old, LG, 26 years old, and BJ, 40 years old, all three Kosovar citizens.
These citizens were arrested as suspects for the criminal offense of "Drug Trafficking", provided for by Article 283/ai of the Criminal Code.
Also, within the framework of this criminal proceeding, citizens HC, born and residing in Kukës, and GO, born in Kosovo and residing in Ontario, Canada, were declared wanted, suspected of the criminal offense of "Trafficking in narcotics", provided for by Article 283/ai of the Criminal Code.
From the entirety of the investigative actions carried out up to this stage, it is suspected that the persons involved had specific roles in securing, concealing, transporting and distributing narcotics, from Canada to Albania and further towards Kosovo.
Operation "Anchor" is the result of an ongoing investigation and close cooperation between police structures, customs authorities and the Prosecution Service.
The Durrës Local Police Directorate, in coordination with the Prosecutor's Office, is intensively continuing investigative actions with the aim of identifying, locating and apprehending other persons suspected of being involved in this criminal activity, as well as fully documenting the role of each of them. The procedural materials will be passed on to the Prosecutor's Office for further action.
