The Special Prosecution Office, SPAK, has conducted investigations to verify the possible assets in Albania of 89 Kosovo Albanians, following suspicions that they may have been created from criminal proceeds.
The investigative actions were carried out in response to a letter of request sent by the justice authorities in Kosovo, who are investigating 31 people suspected of being part of a criminal group engaged in drug trafficking and money laundering. All were identified due to communications on the SKY ECC application, based on data received from the Belgian and French justice authorities.
The request made by the Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosovo was approved by the Special Court, which gave the green light to SPAK to conduct investigations on behalf of the Kosovo side.
The investigation in this country has revealed that the defendants transferred the profits generated from the criminal activity to various businesses, which were established by the defendants themselves and other persons. Also, part of the assets appear to have been converted into movable and immovable properties such as land, houses, apartments, cars, etc., with the aim of concealing the true source.
Referring to the investigation in Kosovo, it appears that the defendants have invested drug trafficking money in movable and immovable property, both within the territory of the Republic of Kosovo and in other countries, including the Republic of Albania.
For this reason, the Kosovar side is seeking to filter not only their assets, but also those of 58 other people, their family members, in whose name the illegal assets may have been registered. In accordance with the request of the Kosovar justice, SPAK will track not only their possible real estate assets, but also whether they have opened bank accounts in second-tier banks in Albania. / A2