According to Europol’s annual “Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment,” Albania remains the main source of cannabis for countries in Europe.
Whereas last year, in the 2016 report, Albania was merely one of the main producers, together with Serbia, Bulgaria, and Kosovo, this year it appears that Albania has consolidated the market and has become the “main source” for cannabis in Europe.
Albania is also an important transit country for other drugs, such as heroine, coming to Europe from Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Netherlands, from where they are further distributed to other European countries.
According to Europol, the number of criminal organizations in Europe has increased considerably over the last few years. The number of criminal organization worldwide involved in drug production and distribution has risen from 3,600 in 2013 to 5,000 in 2016, spreading across 180 countries.
