How feared Albanian mafia is muscling in on drugs trade in Birmingham and West Midlands
National Crime Agency say the gangs have 'established a high-profile influence within UK organised crime'

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/how-feared-albanian-mafia-muscling-15153525

Man jailed for cocaine dealing
Following an investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, a man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, for his role as one of the heads of an organised crime group who were supplying cocaine on a commercial scale throughout the UK.

Erald Mema, aged 33, who is an Albanian national who resided in the UK since 2003 and lived at addresses within Oxford and Beaconsfield, was found guilty by jury of two count of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, following a trial at Oxford Crown Court and was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment at a hearing.

His conviction was part of Operation Stingray which was a significant and lengthy investigation into an Organised Crime Network who were concerned in the commercial supply of high purity cocaine throughout the United Kingdom.This was a complex and significant criminal venture.

The Court was informed that Mema was able to control and run his criminal enterprise from the UK and at times from his homeland, Albania. The organisation was able to source and distribute multi kilo deliveries of cocaine via a series of drugs couriers throughout the Midlands, Oxford and Bracknell areas.

Operation Stingray led to individuals being sentenced to a total of 165 years’ imprisonment which includes Mema’s 25 years jail term.

Detective Chief Inspector, Bruce Riddell who was the senior investigating officer, said: “The conviction and sentencing of Erald Mema is an excellent result not just for Thames Valley Police but for the communities we serve as well.

“The successful conviction would not have been possible without the close partnership working and support of other Forces, which enabled the investigation team to gather and share evidence in order to bring Mema and others in the conspiracy to justice."

Last updated Sat 20 Oct 2018

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2018-10-20/man-sent-to-jail-for-cocaine-dealing/

Instagram gangsters: UK-Albanian Hellbanianz gang flaunt wealth

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7712995/albanian-hellbanianz-gang-instagram-london/

The court of Amsterdam acquitted four men of participation in an Albanian criminal organization and involvement in cocaine trafficking. Two of the suspects were also acquitted of money laundering and expensive watches.

The foursome in their cars in Amsterdam drove several criminal Albanians around who acted in coke. The cars were equipped with hidden spaces. They brought the Albanians to homes, which showed traces of drug trafficking, as later appeared from police investigations.

No veiled communication
The court, however, did not consider it proven that the four had knowledge that they were carrying criminal Albanians in their cars, who acted in cocaine. There was also no question of veiled communication between the drivers and the Eastern Europeans. The court also found that it could not be established that the hidden spaces in the cars had actually been used.

Rotterdam and England
Albanians are, according to justice, a growing problem in the underworld. Not only in the Netherlands , but also elsewhere in Europe. This year, several Albanians were arrested on suspicion of cocaine trafficking in the Netherlands - and in particular in Rotterdam .

'Besa' – the gangs' ruthless criminal code

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-sunday-telegraph/20181216/281887299404736

Once they gain more money they will and are going to become extremely dangerous to the Italians but they will have a hard time gaining ground with anyone political or in LE for some time , well high up anyway.

They are able to keep there young men in the families and stay in crime it’s almost like when our families came over and again the Italians are not prepared nor can keep there young males in the life .

This sounds horrible but once you lose OC all you have left is disorganized crime and with that it becomes like a getto that will spread.

Sure they have been working with OC only because they have to but soon it be chaos . The Feds don’t look at it like that having level headed OC leaders and for the most part only kill there own but that will not happen with that crew they will not respect anyone or anything once they get the edge.

https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/01/05/the-albanian-mafia-are-not-really-a-mafia

The “Albanian mafia” are not really a mafia
They are every bit as violent but far less organised

i disagree, compared to other groups seem more organized, probably they are at least in albania, but nobody is even close to italian mafia when it comes to organization
like most of groups across europe they don't seem to be interested in control a territory, but just earn money as soon as possible
in fact most of european suburbs are just multietnich ghettos without any real mafia control, except south italian ones

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/13/kings-of-cocaine-albanian-mafia-uk-drugs-crime

Kings of cocaine: how the Albanian mafia seized control of the UK drugs trade

Drug trafficking in UK is still run by predominantly white British (English, Irish, Scottish), in analogy with the Penose in the Netherlands and the Milieu in France.

https://theconversation.com/albania...ur-view-of-the-global-drugs-trade-110043

Albanian mafia: the dangerous myth that distorts our view of the global drugs trade

What Hollander says and what's stated in the article definitely holds merit. The Albanian gangs are noticeably players, but "taking over"...nope.

If you take a look at the busts of Albanian-ran cocaine rings in the UK (of which about 95% take place in the South East) it's noticeable that the role of the Albanian gangs is mostly limited to that of retail dealers. They deal in larger quantities than most of the black gangs in the area, but it's still on a direct retail level. The Albanian gangs definitely are not the decision makers of what comes in and what goes out. Local white British groups in Liverpool, the Essex/Kent area, Glasgow, Nottingham...as well as Irish groups based in Dublin are by far the major source of cocaine (as well as synthetic drugs) making its way into the UK and to extent some other European countries as well.

Same case for the Netherlands. Through all the talks about Moroccan, Antillean...and now Albanian groups and their involvement in the cocaine business, a large amount of huge shipments of cocaine and synthetic drugs need the go ahead of established Dutch groups - of which a disproportionate amount are based in the "Kamper" communities in North Brabant, Limburg and South Holland.

Albanian, Italian police arrest 27 people in joint operation
February 13, 2019

TIRANA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Albanian police and Italian Anti-mafia police arrested 27 persons of four criminal organizations during a joint operation, the General Director of Police Ardi Veliu said in a press conference on Tuesday.

The international police operation against drugs trafficking encoded "Spring flowers" was finalized with 27 persons cuffed, 21 of whom Albanian citizens.

"Thanks to this operation, about 3.3 tons of cannabis were seized," said Veliu.

The investigations for this operation, held as well in cooperation with the Prosecution Office of Serious Crimes, lasted two years.

The Head of the Prosecution Office of Serious Crimes, Donika Prela, said that this was the first operation of a joint investigative team between the Albanian and Italian authorities.

Major Albanian-Belgian drug group taken down in Belgium and Switzerland http://gangstersinc.ning.com/profil...ug-group-taken-down-in-belgium-and-switz

I must have read that article differently.....

It states the Albanians have a DIRECT line to Colombia now... that this gave them the financial leverage to beat the going wholesale rate of 22,500 a kilo.

It also states that they work with Calabrians hand in glove, as far as getting the stuff through the ports.

So... They

1. Have their own connections in Colombia, thus financial leverage....

2. They have a working partnership with an organization that has access to MANY more ports than just the ones in UK.

3. They have a presence in the retail market, with the leverage they have from Colombia, they can sell high grade stuff, CHEAPER than the going rate, thus increasing their market share.....

This is essentially what they showed in the third season of Gommorrah, how you take market share on the retail level, from an established crime group.


This wouldn't really be possible if ALL the competing groups had the same connects. The Irish, the Scotts....

As you know in Europe the traffic is controlled by an OPEC-like cartel.

The Colombians are the #1 contact for any European criminal organization active in the cocaine business. Every major cocaine trafficking organization in Europe has a direct line to Colombia.

Funny how the European gangs still prefer to do business with the Colombians instead of the Mexicans. Probably because the Colombian community in Europe is bigger than the Mexican.

@Hollander

You know I read that awhile ago and forgot.....So the biggest groups work together to maintain market share stoll?

still?, I neant...

As opposed to North America. I mean, in the USA and Canada most of the cocaine seems to get into the country through Mexican cartels (who probably get a lot of it from Colombian contacts as well). You'd think that with the prevalence of the Mexican cartels the European gangs would get into business with them as well. Even though there have been talks of European gangs doing business with Mexican cartels, there's little direct evidence. Yet every time there's a huge cocaine bust in Europe there seem to be links with Colombia. Some time ago a Dutch group of major cocaine importers from North Brabant got busted and they as well got a direct link to Colombia. Mexico is seldom in the talks in Europe.

I heard the Nigerians were moving into Sicily and hiring the Canadians to control the prescription drug market in Southeast France . can anyone confirm??

Albanian top criminal possible in the Netherlands at large

The Albanian criminal Arben Frroku (photo) was sentenced to life imprisonment in his own country for the murder of a high police chief. He fled and in May 2016 - traveling under a false Greek passport - was unmasked by the Dutch Marechaussee and arrested at Schiphol.

Recently, however, the court in The Hague ruled that Frroku may not be extradited, because in Albania life is also really lifelong. This is in violation of article three of the European Convention on Human Rights. Because the only ground for holding Frroku in the Netherlands - extradition - has now disappeared, the murderer threatens to be released here, writes De Telegraaf.

Lancia
Police chief Dritran Lamaj (41) was liquidated on 24 February 2013 in the Albanian capital Tirana in his Lancia with a Kalashnikov. It was then the third murder of a policeman in eight months time. In the car (a blinded BMW) the police found traces of Arben Frroku. A short time later, he was arrested by the Greek police in Thessaloniki. After his extradition to Albania, Frroku was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. He did not, however, end up behind the bars because he had fled.

Politicians
The Public Prosecution Service informs De Telegraaf that it will not be able to go further into the matter, because it is considering going into cassation against the decision of the court. Gerald Roethof, the Albanian's lawyer, says that a logical next step is to work on legalizing the stay of Frroku in the Netherlands. Several Dutch politicians resist the release of Frroku.

https://www.crimesite.nl/albanese-topcrimineel-mogelijk-in-nederland-op-vrije-voeten/

The Serious Crimes Court in Tirana decided on Monday that Klement Balili, one of the most mentioned names in Albania considered the Balkan's Escobar' receives a shortened trial that foresees that the case against him be followed based on the acts currently possessed by the prosecution against him, leading to Balili receiving a one-third reduction from his final sentence.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/84054...-traffickers-to-kingpin-cocaine-dealers/

BRUTAL MAFIA The inside story of how brutal Albanian gangs rose from the UK’s premier sex traffickers to kingpin cocaine dealers

https://eu-ocs.com/dozens-arrested-in-swoop-on-albanian-mafia-in-france-belgium-and-netherlands/

Dozens arrested in swoop on Albanian mafia in France, Belgium and Netherlands

https://exit.al/en/2019/04/05/64-members-of-albanian-mafia-arrested-in-eu-none-in-albania/

64 Members of Albanian Mafia Arrested in EU, None in Albania

They are also the cannabis suppliers to the Sicilian mafia in Liège. Among the arrested 8 Italians resident in Belgium.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8836935/crack-cocaine-delivered-quicker-than-pizza/

'INSTANT' CRACK How deadly crack cocaine can be bought and delivered on Britain’s streets quicker than it takes to deliver a pizza

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/man-found-with-class-a-drugs-in-ear-has-sentence-increased

Man found with Class A drugs in ear has sentence increased

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9016073/britain-cocaine-epidemic-albania-mafia/

PIRANHAS FROM TIRANA Britain’s cocaine epidemic is fuelled by Albanian mafia thugs who sneak in to run drug trade