We are often accustomed to seeing articles in foreign media that promote Albania as a tourist destination, often even hinting that many of these articles are part of campaigns paid for by Albania.
However, it seems that this advertisement has yielded results, as Albania has seen an explosion of mass tourism in recent years.
But the British newspaper "The Sun", later quoted by the Daily Express, warns vacationers that there is a "mafia" in Albania.
In a short article titled "The Dark Side of Europe's Maldives," the Daily Express says tourists are looking to leave countries like Greece and Spain to explore less populated places.
The article quotes criminology professor Xavier Raufer, who says that Albania has 30 mafia families, and that the most powerful mafias are based in coastal countries, in other words, where tourists go. He also warns of “human trafficking” and says that our country is part of the heroin trafficking route from Afghanistan.
"You will find these families all over Albania - of course, the most powerful is the one along the sea because it is better for trafficking," he said.