In Albania, which is referred to as “a producer of herbal cannabis for the European market”, the cultivation of the drug is expected to increase following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In their May 2020 EU Drug Markets report compiled by Europol, experts state that the increase will be due, in part to the fact that law enforcement resources are diverted to enforcing COVID-19 restriction measures. The report also noted that trafficking routes in the region are still in operation.
The report notes that the negative economic impact of the pandemic has not been seen in the international drug trafficking market. These markets continue to generate huge profits and seizures of illicit substances have been higher in the first part of 2020 than in previous years.
Catherine De Bole, Executive Director of Europol said that the findings of the report should motivate authorities to ensure that recovery from the pandemic is accompanied by a “strong and effective international law enforcement response.”
“We need to establish that drug traffickers do not benefit from the potential social and economic consequences of the crisis,” she said.
