For the 15th consecutive year, the Albanian State Police and the Italian Guardia di Finanza officially launched this Friday their joint campaign for aerial monitoring of Albanian territory, focusing on the prevention and crackdown of narcotic plant cultivation.
The ceremony took place at the General Directorate of the State Police, where the Italian delegation was welcomed by the General Director of the Albanian State Police, Chief Director Skender Hita. The delegation was led by Lorenzo Bucossi, Director of the International Police Cooperation Service in Italy.
In his speech during the opening of the operation, Hita described the fight against narcotics as a battle that goes beyond criminal aspects.
“The fight against narcotics is also a battle against the destruction of our society’s future,” he stated.
According to the State Police, the “Aerial Monitoring 2026” campaign will introduce several innovations compared to previous years. Authorities announced an increase in monitoring flights, more hours of aerial patrols, additional personnel deployed on the ground, and the use of advanced technologies to identify high-risk areas.
The Police Director emphasized that cooperation with the Italian authorities has produced concrete results in the early identification of cannabis plantations and interventions for their destruction. According to him, the combination of technology, expertise, and operational coordination has led to a decrease in detected cases of narcotic plant cultivation in the country.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo Bucossi described the partnership between the two countries as a successful model of police cooperation that has been consolidated over the years. He also invited the General Director of the Albanian State Police for an official visit to Italy as part of further strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Brigadier General Franzese also praised the rapid response of the Albanian Police in verifying the coordinates reported by the Guardia di Finanza and carrying out interventions to destroy drug cultivation sites.
The joint aerial operation is considered one of the key mechanisms of Albania-Italy cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and narcotic cultivation.
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