Albania Seizes 200 Kilos of Colombian Cocaine

The Albanian authorities have seized 200 kilos of Colombian cocaine with an estimated value of over 15 million euros ($21 million) hidden in vats of palm oil, they said Wednesday in a statement.

At least five people, including two Macedonian nationals, were arrested in connection with the find, the police said.

The truck, registered in Macedonia, was stopped at Gjirokastra 220 kilometres south of Tirana near the border with Greece. The cocaine was found dissolved in more than 10 tonnes of palm oil imported into Albania by a pastry company.

According to the truck's paperwork the drugs had passed several countries including Spain, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia before arriving in Albania.

According to prosecution sources the diluted cocaine was destined for a specialized Albanian laboratory which would extract the substance and turn it into pure cocaine that would then be exported again to western Europe.

Albania is an important transit point for drugs destined for the lucrative western European market. According to international police experts in Tirana some 20 to 30 percent of all drugs that end up on the European market have passed through the Balkans country.