Italian police have catched a criminal drug trafficking group. The operation took place in Savona and Genoa, where this group was based.

Suspected of international drug trafficking, the police arrested 17 people, among them 4 Albanian citizens, more specifically Nik Dauti, Nerdojan Hoxha, Samir Shllegaj and Engli Shllegaj.

Italian media reports that some of them are connected to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia clan.

The criminal organization had also undertaken the opening of a company to import fruit from South America that would be used to send cocaine in covered cargo.

The suspects are accused of 42 other episodes of purchase, possession and transfer, as well as the importation from South America of large quantities of over 180 kg of cocaine, 40 kg of weed, 70 kg of marijuana and two attempted purchases of over 200 kg of cocaine and 300 kg of weed.

Investigations have started since 2019. The French authorities have disclosed the communications between the members of the criminal group who used the Encrochat and SkyEcc platforms, where they then sent the secured evidence to the Italian counterparts.