The Evolution of Albania’s Strategy Against Organized Crime: From a Police-Based to a Multi-Agency Model

Abstract Organized crime in Albania has evolved into a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, encompassing drug trafficking, money laundering, cyber-enabled offenses, and environmental crime. While cannabis cultivation remains largely domestic, Albania continues to function as a key transit route for heroin and cocaine destined for European Union markets. The growing use of cryptocurrencies and the Dark Web has further facilitated financial concealment and cross-border transactions, intensifying challenges for law enforcement and regulatory authorities. International assessments consistently indicate elevated levels of criminal activity, with illicit financial flows and high-risk criminal markets—particularly narcotics trafficking, financial crime, cybercrime, and human smuggling—remaining significant concerns. Against this backdrop, Albania has undertaken a substantial transformation in its approach to combating organized crime, shifting from a predominantly police-centered model toward a comprehensive, multi-institutional framework that emphasizes prevention, interagency coordination, and the reuse of confiscated criminal assets for public benefit. This paper examines the evolution of national strategies, institutional architecture, and operational capacities, with particular attention to newly established and strengthened bodies such as the Special Prosecution Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), the National Bureau of Investigation, and asset recovery and financial intelligence mechanisms. Drawing on international academic literature, European Commission progress reports, and institutional assessments, the study evaluates Albania’s adaptive capacity to respond to evolving criminal dynamics and its efforts to align domestic policies and practices with European Union standards.