The representatives of the Albanian and Italian Police held a meeting today on the joint fight against the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics.

Minister of the Interior Taulant Balla positively assessed the work of the relevant structures involved in the anti-cannabis campaign for 2023.

Balla underlined that in 2023, there were destroyed about 300 thousand narcotic plants. Minister Balla also said that the fight against drugs remains a priority and main commitment of the public order structures. Balla emphasized that the self-cleaning up of the Police is a process that increases the confidence of citizens. And he considered the process important since there have been detained several corrupted police officers involved in the drugs.

Attending the meeting were Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Bucci, head of the Guardia di Finanza mission, the highest officials of the State Police.

Minister Balla stated that there is an increase in the level of reliability and cooperation between the Italian police and the Albanian police. He underlined that, “Italy remains our strategic partner, with which we have a consolidated history of cooperation”.

“It is no coincidence – Balla emphasized – that among the 16 international operations that the Italian police are currently carrying out outside Italy, 14 of them are joint operations with the Albanian Police”./