Director of the State Police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku, spoke at a media conference about a mega-operation called “Flame at sea” where it is suspected of exchanging narcotics through vessels.

Rrumbullaku said that during the mega-operation, 4 Albanians and 2 Ukrainians were arrested, while 2 pistols, military ammunition, a large amount of money in different currencies, 25 mobile phones and other items were seized. Also, 23 kilograms of cannabis were seized near the place where the traffickers burned the sailboat to try to escape in small lifeboats.

“Frontex planes were involved in the mega-operation, while border police vehicles and Guarda Di Financia vehicles were involved from the sea, which surrounded the ship. The citizens who were in the boat just said that they were surrounded by the police, set fire to the boat and tried to leave with a small rescue boat, but were caught red-handed by the police. At the same time, when it intervened from the sea, the RENEA special forces intervened from the ground in the premises of a bar in Laguna e Patoku where some citizens suspected of being related to the attempt to traffic narcotics were staying. Subsequently, they were escorted to the police and arrested four Albanian citizens and two Ukrainians who were caught with the small boat near the sailboat that they had set on fire,” said Rrumbullaku.