OSCE Presence in Albania organizes advanced training on complex international narcotics investigations with Albania’s State Police personnel

From 7 to 9 September 2021, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized an advanced training programme on “Complex International/Joint Investigations on Drug Trafficking” for sixteen officers of Albania’s State Police’s Anti-Drug Units and Security Academy. The training took place at the Albanian Security Academy in Tirana. The training is the continuation of last year’s drug investigation course organized by the Presence in support of Albania’s State Police to improve international co-operation and tackle organized crime.

The training aimed at enhancing the State Police’s capacities to dismantle organized criminal groups specialized in drug trafficking and to communicate and co-operate with partner law enforcement agencies when conducting complex international/joint investigations, which is vital for a successful fight against the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics.

International experts from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), EUROPOL, Nordic countries’ police forces, Croatian Police, and the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC)  engaged participants with scenarios of successful cases of complex international investigations of organized criminal groups dealing with drug trafficking.

Over the last few years, the OSCE Presence in Albania has dedicated around three quarters of its police-related activities to address threats posed by organized crime, enabling the participation of Albania’s State Police officers in conferences and training courses to boost their professional capacities in investigating narcotics-related cases. The Presence will continue to support law enforcement agencies in Albania by building up their capacities and improving their investigative skills in narcotics and organized crime cases.