Two companies based in Milan and Lecco, Italy, have ended up in the target of the Antimafia, accused of laundering money that allegedly came from an international cocaine trafficking network between Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Albania.
According to Italian media, the criminal organization was made up almost entirely of Albanian citizens, while the money was laundered in Italy and then transferred back to Albania. It is a criminal activity of large financial dimensions, which is suspected of having provided the organization with more than 14 million euros in income. The two companies based in Lecco have been seized.
The operation, codenamed "Caveau 38", was carried out by the Milan Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA), in collaboration with Albanian authorities.
The investigations led to the discovery of a "criminal organization", composed mainly of Albanian citizens, which was suspected of being involved in "international cocaine trafficking with a quantity of approximately 240 kilograms", as well as in the collection and transfer to Albania of cash amounts exceeding 14 million euros.
The Guardia di Finanza executed an urgent preventive seizure measure against two companies in Lecco, which were suspected of being used by Albanian criminal organizations.
How drug money was laundered
The money laundering is also suspected to have been carried out through the purchase of gold bars, with a total weight of approximately 8 kilograms. The gold was purchased in Italy through a company operating in the precious metals processing sector, with headquarters in Milan and Alessandria. This company has also been placed under seizure.
After laundering the money through other legal activities, the amounts were then transferred to Albania. The second seized company served as a "safe house for the criminal group", investing the money in the real estate sector.
A judicial administrator has been appointed for the seized companies, who will take care of their administration. As part of this investigation, 52 people and two companies have been officially taken under investigation for suspected criminal activities committed during the period 2019–2022. According to investigators, the organization used encrypted communication systems to organize specific drug and cash transactions.
During the operation, over 1.5 million euros in cash, cocaine, heroin and marijuana, with a total weight of about 32 kilograms, were also seized. Meanwhile, 6 people were arrested in flagrante delicto. ©LAPSI.al
