Italian journalist Saviano to French media: Albania is controlled by drug cartels

Roberto Saviano, a well-known Italian writer and journalist, commented on the huge problem of drug trafficking in an interview with the French media "France2".

"Bulgaria, Albania, Kosovo or Serbia are countries completely dominated by drug cartels," the Italian journalist said, among other things.

The journalist says that France should legalize soft drugs, while the French government is totally against this.

Excerpt from the interview

Saviano: France should not turn a blind eye to the huge drug trafficking, consumption and capital that this type of trafficking brings. For the first time in France, the phenomenon of drug trafficking is being seen as a mafia phenomenon. That is, organized. That can produce power, and not only, as a street phenomenon, gangsterism. To be clear, the French, left, center and right, have all considered this a criminal problem as a problem of immigration. It is absolutely untrue. Because although it is true that some criminal groups have a structure of origin in North Africa, in Italy, in North America or in Albania, the money that is generated by this community is all used by bourgeois France. They arrive and bring criminal money to the French economic system. Construction companies, building. The money goes to these activities.

And they tell you that France is late?

Saviano: Unbelievably so. And I'm explaining myself. Because France is a complete democracy. It can't be compared to Bulgaria, Albania, Kosovo or Serbia, which are countries completely dominated by drug cartels.

The delay at the beginning has to do with a cultural incompetence. The problem has been left entirely to the police investigation. A police force that only controls the roads. And that forgets and leaves aside the financial and economic aspect.

So according to you this is even worse...

Saviano: It's very bad. 150 tons of drugs were seized in France in 2022 and 140 tons in 2023. And the port of Le Havre is the main port of entry for drugs. They only have 3 scanners. They don't see anything when it passes through. At the moment, if I send drugs to Le Havre, I'm sure it will pass through. In the Paris region (Ile de France) 12 drug labs have been closed in one year. It's probably the highest number of drug labs discovered in one territory in the world. And when I say 12, it's only those that have been closed, which shows that consumption is very high.

So if you were facing the French interior minister, what would you say to him?

Saviano: One thing first. Legalize soft drugs urgently. Marijuana and hashish are completely in the hands of the cartels. If you take away this commercial zone, they will have no more fuel.