Albanian Mafia’s Global Reach: From the Balkans to Europe and Beyond
The Albanian mafia, also known as Mafia Shqiptare, is a transnational criminal organization with roots deep in Albania and a significant presence in Europe, North America, and other parts of the world. Established in the 1990s, this shadowy network of ethnic Albanians has been linked to a diverse range of criminal enterprises.
Criminal Enterprises
- Arms and drug trafficking
- Extortion
- Loan sharking
- Prostitution
Influence and Alliances
The Albanian mafia’s influence stretches across various territories, with established structures in:
- Albania
- Italy
- The Netherlands
- The United Kingdom
- Ecuador
They have also been reported to operate in other countries with varying degrees of presence. The Albanian mafia forms alliances with other criminal organizations, including:
- Armenian mafia
- British firms
- Bulgarian mafia
- Camorra
- Chechen mafia
- Clan del Golfo
- Dutch organized crime
- Greek mafia
- Hells Angels MC
- Irish mob
- Moroccan mafia
- ‘Ndrangheta
- Romanian mafia
- Sacra Corona Unita
- Serbian mafia
- Sicilian Mafia
- Sinaloa Cartel
- Società Foggiana
- South American drug cartels
- Turkish mafia
- Various Russian and Ukrainian mafia groups
Politics
In the realm of politics, Albanian mafia groups have been known to influence political developments. In Albania, organized crime became widespread after the fall of communism. Some leaders of criminal gangs worked in state institutions. Both Albanian prime ministers Sali Berisha and Edi Rama have been linked to organized crime groups in the country.
Structure
The absence of a vertical hierarchy and the control by family groups are distinctive features of the Albanian mafia’s structure. They have monopolized many criminal transactions, including:
- Arms and drug trafficking
- Human trafficking
- Prostitution
- Blackmail
- Car robberies
- Money laundering
International Crimes
Their involvement in international crimes extends to:
- China (drug trafficking)
- Israel (human smuggling)
Presence in select countries
Australia
An Albanian Mafia group has established a significant presence in Australia. They network with notorious Mexican and Colombian clans and cartels, Asian triads, South African crime lords, and Italian and Dutch criminal groups.
Belgium
In Belgium, they are described as having a monopoly over narcotics and arms deals. In Brussels, the Kosovar Albanian mafia is affiliated with the Hells Angels. In Antwerp, they have rivaled Russian and Ukrainian mafia groups for control of the prostitution and racketeering market.
France
In France, the Albanian mafia is known to have a monopoly over criminal transactions and is highly involved in the drug trade. They have formed strategic partnerships with other criminal organizations, including the French Camorra.
Germany
The Albanian mafia is involved in smuggling heroin and cocaine in collusion with Italian, Armenian, and Chechen mafia groups.
Greece
They control approximately fifty percent of human trafficking, eighty percent of the retail distribution of heroin, and ninety percent of the importation of illegal small arms. They have also been linked to Albanian nationalism.
Italy
The Italian mafia, particularly the Sicilian Mafia ‘Cosa Nostra’ and ‘Ndrangheta, has formed symbiotic relationships with Albanian crime families, allowing them to survive the crackdown on the Sicilian Mafia in the late 1990s. The Albanian mafia is now deeply entrenched in the criminal underworlds of numerous European countries and continues to expand its influence.