INVESTIGATION/ Who is the Albanian businessman who is 'covering' Ecuador with cocaine

An Albanian businessman is considered by the Latin American media to be the head of a criminal structure, which also includes Rubén Cherres, who has been accused of interfering in public companies and reporting to the Government.

The Albanian has run several businesses from Ecuador, one of them connected to an importer accused of drug trafficking. Dritan Gjika, 46 years old, who has an Ecuadorian identification tool since 2013 and would reside in Guayaquil.

According to the data, in the consultation section for the payment of income tax and the exit of foreign currency, foreigners began to declare in 2015, a year after the start of a business relationship with Cherres.

Rubén Cherres had met with members of the Albanian mafia while serving his sentence for drug trafficking in prison.

After his release, in 2014, (Cherres) started to set up several companies with Dritan Gjika. As of 2019, Gjika had declared more than $500 in taxes, but in 2021 the amount was $15,342.62 and he sent $3,729.38 overseas. Surprisingly, in 2022 he has not declared anything, despite the fact that the currency output tax registers $1,805.10.

Gjika started his business in Ecuador in 2014 with the purchase of the shares of the company Cresmark, characterized by the export of products such as bananas. It is also related to Cannmaná, created in 2021 and dedicated to the import and harvesting of cannabis.

But what attracts the most attention is Agricomtrade. Gjika bought the company's shares, dedicated to the sale of bananas, in 2018. The company has maintained commercial relations with Alba Exotic Fruit sh. pk, an Albanian importer accused of drug trafficking in her country.

In Albania, at least six times, drugs were seized from the importing company in the period 2019-2021, a total of 181 kilograms, all these shipments came from Ecuador.

Gjika është marrë edhe me botën e ndërtimit, së bashku me Rubén Cherres, ata themeluan ose kanë qenë partnerë në 13 kompani të pasurive të paluajtshme, tetë prej të cilave janë "letër" sepse u krijuan në një ditë të vetme.

Këto firma janë vëzhguar nga Mbikëqyrja e Shoqërive pasi nuk kanë respektuar rregulloren kundër pastrimit të parave dhe nuk kanë paguar taksat. Raportet iu dërguan Kontrollorit të Përgjithshëm të Shtetit.

Jeta e biznesit të Dritan Gjikës:

Në një hetim ishte arkivuar nga Prokuroria për shkak se nuk ishin gjetur elementet e dënimit që kontribuan në proces. Ky raport tregon monitorimin e disa personave, mes të cilëve edhe Rubén Cherres, i cili shfaqet në një bisedë me Dritan Gjikën.

Danilo Carrera, i cili është mik i Cherres dhe kunati i presidentit Guillermo Lasso, gjithashtu shfaqet në këtë raport.

Although Lasso himself has asked the Police to locate Cherres, he has defended his brother-in-law and denies having participated in any illegality.

Albanian mafia in Ecuador:

In September 2022, a report on the actions of the Albanian mafia in Ecuador was published, in which it is described that the heads of criminal organizations operate under the facade of entrepreneurs.

From 2016 to 2021, 991 people of Albanian nationality have arrived in Ecuador. At the same time, 19 foreigners of European origin were detained in Zone 8. Organizations in the Balkans often ship cocaine in cargoes of fruit, especially bananas.

Currently, it is common for the Ecuadorian Police to seize drugs in containers that are destined for countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands or Albania./Prepared by  VoxNews