On 27th January, the Independent carried a feature that claims that Albania is no longer a hub of cultivation. It’s become a centre of investment, distribution, and recruitment. Albanian gangs are considered among the world’s top heroin, cocaine and cannabis traffickers. Both US and European law enforcement officials have described the country as the largest provider of cannabis to the EU, as well as an important transit point for heroin and cocaine. Based on the value of drug seizures, some estimate that the marijuana alone generates up to $4 billion a year, half of Albania’s GDP.
