A major anti-drug operation took place in Italy and Albania, where 52 arrest warrants were issued, including officials.
According to Italian media, which have also published footage of the operation, assets worth millions of euros have also been seized.
The investigation was carried out with the assistance of Interpol, the Tirana Security Expert Office and the Albanian Police – at the behest of the Bari authorities and SPAK in Tirana.
The charges against the individuals are for international trafficking of large quantities of narcotics, money laundering and abuse of office.
The operation aims to combat the ongoing international trafficking of cocaine and heroin, managed by Albanian criminal organizations, which circulate large quantities of heroin and cocaine between the Balkans, Northern Europe and Puglia.