In recent months, Albania has become a gateway for smuggling, mainly oil but also pharmaceutical products. The director of economic-financial crime in the state police, Lutfi Minxhozi, says that over 2 million liters of oil were seized in September alone.
The criminal offense of smuggling has marked a significant increase in the last year, while the police have arrested 31 people in the last month alone. Meanwhile, over 100 others turn out to be implicated in the passage of contraband goods.
The director of economic-financial crime in the State Police, Lutfi Minxhozi, in an interview for Ora News, said that during the month of September, the most cases of attack were those of oil smuggling and pharmaceutical products.
"It is mainly in the field of excise goods. So far we have seized 2 million and 700 liters of diesel, cigarette packs, lubricating oils, pharmaceutical products," he said.
According to director Minxhozi, the problem continues to be the fishermen who carry out the activity of contraband goods since they are supplied in the neutral sea, Ora writes .
"Smuggling continues through the trunks. Then there are also the crossing points. Today, other forms of disguise of contraband goods such as buses and vans are being used," he said.
Regarding the identification of 83 criminal offenses for the month of September alone, the economic-financial crime department is cooperating with other structures.
"Economic crime police have also been organized with border structures that have a special plan of measures just for this area," he said.
According to data obtained from September 1, 83 criminal offenses were recorded, with 109 perpetrators implicated. Likewise, 31 have been arrested, while 78 have been prosecuted at large. In total, the police seized over 2 million liters of oil, gold, mobile devices and food products, etc.