In Albania, the fight against organized crime assets has statistically increased in recent years, but their management is facing difficulties, while legal guarantees that prevent these assets from returning to the hands of criminal groups are lacking.
Money laundering by organized crime groups is considered one of the main risks to Albania’s security and economy. However, the country faces numerous challenges in combating illegal assets.
Although the number of seized or confiscated assets has statistically increased in recent years, institutions are struggling to manage these assets or remove them from the control of organized crime.
According to the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK), in the past five years, assets worth approximately 182 million euros have been seized or confiscated. These assets have been mainly invested in the construction business, real estate, or commercial companies.
“About 70-80% of asset investigations here are initiated ex officio by prosecutors based on their ongoing investigations. The State Police also contributes by referring cases, as do general jurisdiction prosecutions. Recently, there has been an increase in requests from foreign judicial authorities for asset investigations and confiscations involving Albanian citizens convicted abroad for crimes under our jurisdiction,” says SPAK prosecutor Doloreza Musabelliu.
However, not all seized assets are managed by the Agency for the Administration of Seized and Confiscated Assets, and a significant portion of them continue to be used by their former owners.
The agency told BIRN that it currently manages a total of 2,484 assets valued at 1.7 billion lekë, which is less than 10% of the value declared by SPAK. Among them, 667 assets, or 27% of the total, have not yet been taken under administration.
Legal issues have also emerged in the procedures for leasing seized apartments or managing business companies. According to a report by the High State Audit, the main concern is that in some cases, owners who are subjects of court decisions continued to manage these assets illegally.
Such cases are also acknowledged by administrators of seized assets, who say they are taking measures to prevent such occurrences.
“This is a phenomenon that other counterpart agencies in the region or the European Union have also faced. It is not always easy to deal with individuals involved in organized crime and to manage and administer assets as required by law. Attempts are always numerous, but in cooperation with the relevant authorities, we are taking all necessary measures to reduce this phenomenon as much as possible,” says Indrit Karaj, an administrator at the Agency for the Administration of Seized and Confiscated Assets.
