SPAK operation, Europol reacts: 15 arrested, the notorious Albanian organized crime group is hit

Albanian authorities, in cooperation with Europol and Belgian, Dutch and French law enforcement agencies, have successfully completed a major operation, arresting 15 suspected members of an Albanian organized crime group under investigation in multiple jurisdictions.

The coordinated effort, dubbed Operation GORGON, culminated in a series of raids conducted in Tirana, Albania, on July 31 against key figures within the criminal network. As a result, considerable assets were seized, including real estate and 1 million euros in cash.

From contract killings to complex money laundering

This high-profile Albanian organized crime group was hierarchically structured, with branches operating internationally. The gang consisted mainly of family members and associates from the same area in Albania. Members of the group are allegedly responsible for numerous contract killings, large-scale drug trafficking and laundering of illegal profits through complex cryptocurrency transactions.

Among those arrested is a money launderer based in Tirana, who offered his services to several other high-level criminal groups engaged internationally in murder, corruption and large-scale drug trafficking, among other activities criminal.

The investigation also revealed how the head of this organized crime group and his associates ordered the killing of several members of other Albanian criminal groups by contracting assassins. At least seven murders have been attributed to this specific criminal group between 2019 and 2020, a number of which were committed outside Albania.

Intelligence development by Europol

As part of the analytical work carried out on the SKY ECC data, Europol developed reliable intelligence on the activities of this gang.

This information was given to the Albanian Special Prosecutor's Office for Anticorruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), which took immediate measures and opened investigations. Since then, Europol has provided ongoing intelligence development and analysis in support of the national investigation, leveraging its comprehensive expertise by mobilizing its various specialist centres.

During the day of the action, three experts from Europol's European Serious Organized Crime Center and the European Cybercrime Center were deployed in Tirana to support the Albanian authorities in their enforcement actions.

The following authorities participated in the investigation:

Albania: Special Prosecutor's Office for Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime (Special Anti-Corruption Structure), National Bureau of Investigation (National Bureau of Investigation), Albanian State Police (State Police)

Belgium: Federal Police 

France: National Police 

Netherlands: National Police