Drug trafficking is the most lucrative business for organized crime groups in European Union countries. This form of illegality generates annually a total of 24 billion euros. For this reason, more than one third of the criminal groups active in this geographical area do the producing, trafficking or distribution of narcotics. The data are part of a strategic report of the European Union Law Enforcement Agency, known as Europol. Among the criminal groups involved in narcotics are Albanian ones, while Albania is emphasized as a source of hashish.
“Albania remains the main source of EU-trafficked herbal cannabis”, the report said. Europol officials consider it worrying to market some of the synthesized narcotic substances, some of which are sold on online platforms. According to the report, from 2005, 620 new substances have been discovered in the EU markets, which escape customs controls as pharmaceuticals. One of them is fentanyl, the use of which has killed at least 60 people in the UK.
Referring to strong drugs, the report emphasizes that the Balkans remain the main gateway through which heroin penetrates into EU countries.
According to the report, there are no cases where criminal drug trafficking groups are also terrorist financiers.
Meanwhile, it is considered a challenge, the fight against money laundering. According to the report, criminal networks constantly seek to utilize the latest technology developments by selling and buying online through anonymous or encrypted payments./tvklan.al
