Italian investigative journalist Nello Trocchia, invited to the show "Oponencë" on News24, has spoken about the strengthening of Albanian criminal groups and their connections with mafia organizations in Italy.
According to Trocchia, the Albanian mafia has built an organized and flexible structure over the years, which has enabled it to expand quickly and create strong relationships with Italian criminal groups.
"The Albanian mafia has a very good structure, at least from what we know in Italy. They are groups that have the ability to merge and spread immediately," said the Italian journalist.
He emphasized that today there is a strong connection between the Albanian mafia and Italian criminal organizations such as the 'Ndrangheta and the Camorra, especially in activities related to drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to Trocchia, the cooperation between them extends to illegal businesses, drug supply networks, and illegal financial activities.
The investigative journalist also stated that Italy has served as a "gym" for Albanian criminal groups since the 90s, a period during which many Albanian traffickers established direct links with the Italian underworld.
"The Albanian mafia found a gym in Italy in the 90s and trained. Very important convoys and important traffickers passed through Italy, they had connections with Italian crime," he said.
According to Trocchia, after more than three decades of coexistence and criminal cooperation, the relationship between the Albanian mafia and Italian organizations is no longer one-sided.
"Their relationship today is between equals," the Italian journalist declared.
