US report on drugs: Albania, transit country

07/03/2013 00:00

Albania is still considered as a transit and destination country for
cannabis, heroin and cocaine in the US State Department reports. The
most recent mentions the fact that the authorities have effected
significant increases in drug seizures and arrests in 2012, a rise in
enforcement activity attributable to better police training and
techniques, including enhanced risk analysis and better use of donated
equipment. The drastic increase in marijuana seizures – a 175-percent
increase over 2011 – also signifies an increase in local production
after trending downward over the prior two years.

Evidence suggests that trafficking networks may be taking advantage of reduced policing activities in neighbouring countries, bypassing Albania, which has long served as a transit country to Western Europe, according to Voice of America.

According to the report, consumption of drugs other than marijuana does not appear to be common. The report says that Albania continued to improve its counter-narcotics efforts in 2012, highlighted by the release of a National Counter-narcotics Strategy.

Albanian State Police (ASP) statistics for 2012 showed marked increases in seizures and arrests. Cannabis seizures totaled almost 21.2 metric tons, nearly double the amount seized in 2011.

Heroin and cocaine discoveries also more than doubled to 87.7 kilograms (kg) and 4.6 kg, respectively.

Although more narcotics were seized, the number of sentenced offenders was low, due to the weak judicial institutions. The Serious Crimes First Instance Court handed down 56 trafficking convictions during 2012.

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