Criminal group smuggled Chinese gas to Italy, SPAK "filtered" the assets of 9 foreigners in Albania

2026-08-23 11:42:27Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Criminal group smuggled Chinese gas to Italy, SPAK "filtered" the
Photo illustration

The investigation launched by a prosecutor in Italy into a criminal group smuggling Chinese cold gas, which is used in refrigerators and air conditioners, has also involved SPAK. In accordance with a letter of request from the Italian side, received by the GJKKO, SPAK must identify and filter the assets and bank accounts in Albania of 9 foreign citizens, suspected of being members of the criminal group.

SPAK has targeted the movable and immovable assets and bank accounts of 9 foreign citizens in Albania and 7 commercial companies, at the request of Italian justice.

Through a letter of request from the prosecutor's office in Torre Annunziata in Italy, Italian investigators have requested the tracing and verification of financial data for 5 Italians, 3 Bulgarians and a Ukrainian. They are suspected of being part of a criminal group that smuggles refrigerant gas purchased in China, an industrial gas used in refrigerators and air conditioners. According to the court decision, which gave the green light to the execution of the Italian letter of request, investigators in the neighboring country have identified 9 people as members of the group.

They are suspected of importing refrigerant gas from China through companies based in Italy and abroad, avoiding customs checks and taxes. The goods were then stored, modified, counterfeited and resold in Italy at prices lower than market prices, also producing fictitious invoices or false transactions.

The criminal mechanism was uncovered by Italian investigators through the seizure of many gas cylinders, telephone tapping, and video recordings by placing cameras near and inside the warehouses of the companies involved.

Italian prosecutors allege that part of the profits were transferred to foreign accounts, while payments for the illegal gas were made through bank orders to foreign accounts from banks in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

For this reason, according to the letter of order, SPAK must identify the movable and immovable assets in Albania of the 9 suspects and 7 commercial companies, as well as their bank accounts.

In the case of bank accounts, SPAK must conduct incoming and outgoing financial analysis starting from January 2025./ A2


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