Tracing drug money brings Belgian prosecutors to Albania

2022-11-29 17:08:26Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Tracing drug money brings Belgian prosecutors to Albania
Tracing drug money brings Belgian prosecutors to Albania

Dries Lonneux, 42, arrested in Belgium in October 2021 as the leader of a criminal organization that trafficked large quantities of cocaine from Latin America, allegedly invested in Albania as early as 2016. During the operation to arrest him, he was put in handcuffs 26 other people as accomplices and about 2 tons of cocaine imported from the port of Antwerp in Belgium were seized.

The Belgian authorities, after the criminal investigation, started tracking his wealth and it turned out that, just like in several other countries in Europe, he had invested in Albania as well.

By means of a letter, where the 42-year-old's open company based in Vora and his connections in Albania were identified, the Belgians asked SPAK to carry out all verifications and block any assets in his name and family members, as during the actions Belgian judges and prosecutors also assisted the investigation.

The collaboration of crime in Belgium with Albanian groups has become more evident in recent years, as the official data of the Special Prosecutor's Office show that the Netherlands and Belgium are the countries that have the highest requests for help in investigations. 20 requests were sent by the Dutch and 17 by the Belgians during 2021, as the main object of the letters are related to drugs and money laundering, TV Klan reports.


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