Drug kingpin held in Dubai after 10 nations bust crime syndicate
POLICE OF 10 COUNTRIES BUST COCAINE-TRAFFICKING RING
Acoordinated police operation in 10 countries, including the UAE, smashed an ethnic Albanian-organised crime syndicate that smuggled cocaine from South America into Europe and led to the arrest of 20 suspects, including a ring leader, in Dubai.
Dubai Police yesterday said that the gang, known as Kompania Bello, was one of Europe’s most active cocaine-trafficking networks with business of over Dh1.5 billion.
Denis Matoshi, a gang leader, was arrested by Dubai Police on Tuesday in an international operation called Los Blancos.
Lt Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri, Dubai Police Chief, said his arrest was carried out in cooperation with 10 countries, which also led to the arrest of 20 other members of the gang.
“The Albanian suspect from Kompania Bello was arrested after intensive monitoring of his movements in Dubai, based on information shared by Italian authorities.” Lt Gen Al Merri said.
Dubai Police’s announcement followed the EU’s police agency announcement yesterday about coordinating a series of raids by hundreds of police officers on Tuesday that led to the arrests after a five-year investigation led by the Italians.
Coordinated single strike
Maj-Gen Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Chief of Criminal Investigation Affairs, said the 20 suspects were arrested in a single strike by police departments in Italy, Albania, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Holland, UK and the UAE.
“Dubai Police formed a team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department to locate the suspect and analyse his movement after exchanging information with Interpol,” he said.
Col Saeed Al Qemzi, Director of Wanted Department at Dubai Police, said Italian authorities shared information about Matoshi. “Matoshi was wanted by Italy for leading an organised drug trafficking gang. They smuggled tonnes of drugs to Europe for sale,” he said.
Col Al Qemzi added that Matoshi will be handed over to Italian Interpol after formalities to obtain his extradition warrant.
Europol said the raids were the biggest ever against an ethnic
The Albanian suspect from Kompania Bello was arrested after intensive monitoring of his movements in Dubai based on information shared by Italian authorities.”
Lt Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri | Dubai Police Chief
Dubai Police formed a team of CID officers to locate the suspect and analyse his movement after exchanging information with Interpol.”
Maj-Gen Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri | Assistant Chief of Criminal Investigation Affairs
Albanian crime gang and underscored the size of their operations — from negotiating with cartels in South America to distributing the drugs in Europe, Russia and Turkey, using encrypted communications to run the operation.
Italian authorities praised Dubai Police’s professionalism, efficiency and swift response to the red notice issued by Interpol to arrest the Albanian suspect in Dubai.