Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj and representatives of the Guardia di Finanza presented today the results of the aerial monitoring to identity cannabis plantations in Albania.
During May 15–September 15, the Italians monitored the Albanian terroritory in a project mainly financed by Italy and European Union. During these flights about 23% of the total non-urban territory was monitored.
Stefano Skrepanti, the chief of the third unit of the Guardia di Finanza, declared that from 2013 there has been an increase in flights, from 25 in 2013 to 57 in 2017. Compared to previous years, especially 2015–2016, there were considerably less plantations found in 2017.
Despite these results, General Commander of the Guardia di Finanza Toschi stated that this year in Italy much more drugs from Albania were captured than in previous years:
Last year the GdF seized 33 tons of narcotics on the Italian shores, or 167% more than in 2016.
In his speech, Italian Minister of Interior Marco Minniti emphasized that it is necessary to attack the “untouchables” of drug cultivation:
We have to attack the untouchables, the criminal gangs and organizations that control that traffic, because in Albania, Italy, and Europe there are no untouchables. This is the important objective for which we need to work together.
Nevertheless, Minister Xhafaj and Police Chief Haki Çako called the GdF’s results “historical” and decisive for the eradication of cannabis in Albania.
