Albanian authorities have seized more than 41 kilograms of suspected cocaine at the Port of Durrës in a new operation targeting drug trafficking through the country’s main maritime gateway.
The operation, codenamed “Anchor 3,” resulted in the seizure of 41.35 kilograms of suspected cocaine, with an estimated street value of around €2 million, according to Albanian police.
The operation was carried out by the Durrës Sector for the Investigation of Narcotics in cooperation with the local Directorate for Border and Migration and customs authorities at the Port of Durrës.
Police said the drugs were discovered during a detailed inspection of a container originating from Brazil. According to the accompanying documentation, the container was declared to be carrying chicken meat.
During the inspection, authorities found 37 packages containing a substance suspected to be cocaine, concealed in the outer lids of the container.
The seizure comes after three suspected attempts to traffic narcotics through the Port of Durrës were detected within a single month, according to authorities.
Investigators are continuing work to determine the full trafficking network, including the origin and intended destination of the cocaine, as well as to identify and arrest those allegedly involved in the operation.
