The Albanian authorities, in cooperation with Europol and Belgian, Dutch and French law enforcement, have successfully concluded a major operation, arresting 15 suspected members of a notorious Albanian organised crime group under investigation in multiple jurisdictions.
The coordinated effort, named Operation GORGON, culminated in a series of raids carried out in Tirana, Albania, on 31 July against key figures within the criminal network. Significant assets were seized as a result, including real estate and EUR 1 million in cash.
From contract killings to complex money laundering
This high-profile Albanian organised crime group was hierarchically structured, with branches operating internationally. The gang was mainly composed of family members and associates from the same area in Albania. The group’s members are suspected of being responsible for numerous contract killings, large-scale drug trafficking and the laundering of illicit profits via complex cryptocurrency transactions.
Among those arrested features a prominent money launderer based in Tirana, who provided his services to several other top-level criminal groups engaged at an international level in murders, corruption and large-scale drug trafficking, among other criminal activities.
The investigation also uncovered how the leader of this organised crime group and his associates ordered the killing of several members of other Albanian criminal groups by contracting hitmen. At least seven murders have been attributed to this specific criminal group between 2019 and 2020, a number of which have been carried out outside of Albania.
Intelligence development by Europol
In the framework of the analysis work carried out on SKY ECC data, Europol developed reliable intelligence on the activities of this gang.
This intelligence was provided to the Albanian Special Prosecution Office for Anticorruption and Organised Crime (SPAK), which took immediate action and opened an investigation. Since then, Europol has provided continuous intelligence development and analysis in support of the national investigation, leveraging its comprehensive expertise by mobilising its various specialised centres.
During the action day, three experts from Europol’s European Serious Organised Crime Centre and European Cybercrime Centre were deployed to Tirana to support the Albanian authorities with their enforcement actions.
The following authorities took part in the investigation:
- Albania: Special Prosecution Office for Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime (Struktura e Posaçme Anti-Korrupsion), National Bureau of Investigation (Byroja Kombëtare e Hetimit), Albanian State Police (Policia e Shtetit)
- Belgium: Federal Police (Federale Politie)
- France: National Police (Police Nationale)
- The Netherlands: National Police (Politie)
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