Albanian-Speaking Criminal Networks Rise Quietly in Belgium
A joint investigation by Belgian media outlets RTBF, Le Soir, and Knack has revealed the discreet but significant rise of Albanian-speaking organized crime networks operating in Belgium. Based on over a dozen interviews with police officers, magistrates, and money-laundering specialists, as well as analysis of more than 20 court cases, the investigation paints a picture of highly adaptable, internationally connected groups that have evolved from petty criminals into major players in the European cocaine trade.
Europol describes the evolution of these networks as “more international, larger-scale, and more effective” than ever before. Belgian federal police warn that more than 2,000 Albanian suspects currently appear in ongoing investigations by the federal judicial police.
From Burglaries to Cocaine Dominance
In the early 2000s, Albanian-speaking criminals in Belgium were primarily involved in prostitution and burglaries. Today, they occupy a dominant position in cocaine trafficking. According to the RTBF investigation, these groups now operate on equal footing with Italian mafias, Moroccan-origin “Mocro Maffia” networks, and South American cartels.
“They are capable of controlling the entire supply chain,” the Belgian federal police stated. “They are also gaining in influence and efficiency. They are increasingly well-structured and coordinate their activities within complex and sophisticated networks.”
The Veip O. Case: A Trail from Seraing to the Adriatic
One emblematic case illustrates the international reach of these networks. Fifteen years ago, Albanian citizen Veip O. occupied a house in Seraing, a working-class suburb of Liège. During a 2011 police raid, officers discovered €166,285 in cash hidden in the residence. He was sentenced to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly €200,000 in fines and confiscations.
But Belgian justice hit a wall: officially, Veip O. owned nothing in Belgium. The case appeared destined to remain unresolved — until the decryption of the SKY ECC encrypted communication platform changed everything.
SKY ECC, which sold encrypted smartphones to criminals, was taken down around 2021 after a joint operation by Belgian and Dutch authorities. Albanian was the second most used language on the platform after English. In Belgium, Albanian-speaking users were the most represented group after Belgian suspects.
Analysis of Veip O.’s SKY ECC messages revealed hidden assets — not in Liège, but more than 2,000 kilometers away in Albania. Belgian authorities passed the information to Albanian prosecutors, who launched their own investigation. On April 16, 2026, Albanian justice ordered the final confiscation of two bank accounts and eight apartments on the Adriatic coast, valued at nearly €5 million — far exceeding the €197,394 originally sought by Belgian courts.
The “Samba” Trial and the Dubai Connection
At a higher level of the cocaine trade, the “Samba” trial currently underway in Brussels involves figures described as leaders of international cocaine trafficking. Among the defendants is Flamur S., an Albanian national extradited from Turkey in February 2026.
According to investigators, Flamur S. is suspected of involvement in financial operations linked to the importation of 16 tonnes of cocaine, partly via the Port of Antwerp. He allegedly handled the collection, transport, and monitoring of over €17 million in dirty money. Data leaks suggest he still owns two apartments in Dubai, an emirate long considered a haven for cocaine barons.
A New Model of Organized Crime
Unlike traditional Italian mafias — territorially rooted, hierarchical, with deep political penetration — Albanian-speaking networks function as decentralized, project-based organizations. Small cells linked by trust, kinship, and reputation make them harder to infiltrate and quicker to regenerate when disrupted.
“These groups have a very negative impact on society, because they undermine the legal economy through dirty money and corruption,” the Belgian federal police warned.
Frédéric Van Leeuw, Chairman of the Board of Attorneys General in Belgium, noted that the Albanian mafia has “mainly specialized in logistics services” — providing vital services for transportation of drugs and money, setting up laboratories, and purchasing chemicals.
Expanding Operations and New Markets
Some Albanian networks have recently expanded into importing cannabis from California and Canada, shipped to Belgium by air freight for local sale or redistribution across Europe. The Port of Antwerp remains a critical entry point for cocaine shipments, alongside Rotterdam and Hamburg.
Criminal proceeds flow back to Albania, where they are invested in construction, real estate, and tourism-related businesses. Belgian federal police confirm that Albanian mafia has also infiltrated the legal economy within Belgium itself.
International Response
The August 2025 Europol-coordinated operation in Albania — involving 350 officers, 30 arrests, and seizures of a hotel, villas, and businesses — demonstrated growing operational capacity against these networks. As Brussels Watch reported, an Albanian spokesperson declared the operation “a decisive blow to one of the most influential criminal networks trafficking cocaine from Albania to Europe.”
Albania’s Special Prosecution Office for Anticorruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has registered around 60 criminal proceedings based on SKY ECC evidence, resulting in security measures against some 340 suspects.
What to Watch For
The decentralized, flexible structure of Albanian-speaking networks poses a fundamental challenge for law enforcement. Unlike hierarchical organizations that can be decapitated by arresting leaders, these project-based networks can rapidly reconfigure when disrupted.
The outcome of the “Samba” trial in Brussels will be closely watched as a potential precedent for prosecuting high-level Albanian cocaine traffickers operating across European borders. Meanwhile, the growing cooperation between Belgian and Albanian authorities — exemplified by the Veip O. asset confiscation — may offer a model for future cross-border prosecutions.
As the European cocaine market continues to generate over €10 billion annually, and wholesale prices remain low despite record seizures, the adaptability of these networks ensures they will remain a central challenge for European law enforcement for years to come.