Joint Italy-Albania Crime Crackdown Exposes Deep Ties Between Organized Crime and State Structures in Albania
TIRANA, Albania ,Tirana Times May 21 — A sweeping anti-drug operation conducted jointly by Italian and Albanian authorities has laid bare what critics describe as the entrenched links between organized crime and political power in Albania, reigniting concerns over state capture, corruption, and democratic erosion in the Western Balkan nation.
More than 50 arrest warrants were issued—29 in Albania and 22 in Italy—targeting an alleged transnational cocaine trafficking network based in the coastal city of Durrës. Prosecutors from both countries said the organization, known as the “Troplini Group,” ranks among the most dangerous criminal syndicates operating in the region.
Codenamed “Bridge” (“Ura”), the five-year probe spanned from 2020 to 2025 and involved cooperation between SPAK, Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure, and the Bari Prosecutor’s Office in Italy. Authorities say the group’s operations stretched from Albania to Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands, with cocaine sourced from Latin America.
According to SPAK chief prosecutor Altin Dumani, the investigation revealed “one of the most powerful criminal groups in Albania,” with significant assets seized, including restaurants, construction companies, and even a private television station. Yet, the opposition and independent analysts are asking a different question: Why now?
Arrests Follow Elections, Fueling Accusations
The crackdown came shortly after Albania’s recent elections—timing that the opposition says is no coincidence. Opposition leader Sali Berisha alleged that although Italy had issued the arrest orders in February, Albanian authorities only acted after the voting concluded. He accused the ruling Socialist Party of securing electoral victories through “close cooperation with organized crime.”
One of the key suspects, Elvis Doçi—known as “Visi i Pojës”—reportedly escaped arrest, prompting suspicions of a tip-off. Berisha claimed Doçi had connections at the highest levels of government, calling him a “coordinator between Edi Rama and criminal gangs.” Doçi is also linked by family ties to Xhevdet Troplini, the alleged founder of the network.
“The port of Durrës has become a major gateway for cocaine into Europe, under full control of the Troplini group, supported by the highest levels of government,” Berisha said during a press conference.
While SPAK denies any political motives, and Police Director Ilir Proda stated that police were notified only one day before the arrests, doubts persist. Critics argue that the episode illustrates how state institutions may be selectively enforcing justice, influenced by political calculations.
Criminal Enterprises, Construction Boom, and Alleged Money Laundering
The operation uncovered not only cocaine trafficking but an expansive money-laundering network. Prosecutors documented at least 30 drug trafficking episodes in Italy and 10 more across Europe and Albania. Some €5 million were funneled from Italy to Albania, often smuggled via long-distance bus drivers.
Authorities seized properties including high-end restaurants, cafes, six companies, and a private TV channel—many suspected of serving as fronts for illicit capital.
Notably, some of the construction firms tied to the criminal network had received permits under the current government. Analysts warn that Albania’s construction boom—especially in Tirana where 16 new high-rise permits were granted just in March—may be fueled in large part by criminal money laundering.
Independent experts and international organizations have repeatedly raised alarms about Albania becoming a hub for organized crime and drug trafficking in the Balkans. According to several EU reports, the nexus between politics, criminal enterprises, and real estate has allowed illicit actors to wield outsized influence over public policy.
Systemic Corruption and Democratic Erosion
The latest revelations come amid mounting concerns over state capture in Albania. Two police officers and one lawyer are under investigation for corruption or participation in the criminal group, raising fears that crime syndicates have infiltrated state institutions.
Transparency International and other watchdogs have long identified corruption, weak rule of law, and money laundering as Albania’s most pressing challenges. Meanwhile, record-high emigration—often cited as a response to deteriorating governance—continues to deplete the country’s population and skilled workforce.
Despite government claims that Albania is on track to join the European Union by 2030, critics dismiss these projections as politically expedient and disconnected from institutional realities.
“The regime in Tirana is increasingly relying on a transactional relationship with the West,” said one analyst, who asked not to be named. “In exchange for regional stability and cooperation on migration, the EU is turning a blind eye to democratic backsliding and criminal entanglements.”
While the “Bridge” operation underscores successful international cooperation in the fight against organized crime, it has simultaneously spotlighted the dark underbelly of Albania’s political and economic life. The line between state and syndicate, critics argue, is growing increasingly blurred.
And until that line is redrawn, many Albanians fear that rule of law will remain selective—and democracy, fragile.
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