Albania’s police force is facing a serious corruption crisis. For over two years, investigations have uncovered troubling links between police officers and organized crime, with senior officials arrested as the scandal continues to unfold
A long-running corruption scandal in Albania’s police force has been going on for over two years. High-ranking officers are still being arrested, showing just how much organized crime has reached into the police.
The scandal began after police messages from the encrypted SKY ECC app were revealed, leading to several arrests, including Oltion Bistri, the former head of the Operational Force, and Henerigert Mitri, the former director of police in Lezha. Bistri is accused of leaking confidential information to criminals, and Mitri is charged with allowing large-scale cannabis farming.
These arrests are part of a wider investigation that has already seen a dozen police officers charged with serious crimes like drug trafficking and abuse of power. The case shows the deep corruption in the police and raises serious questions about the force’s trustworthiness.
Although the Albanian government claims that these cases are isolated, experts like former police official Adriatik Ago believe the problem is much bigger. “It’s clear that high-ranking officials are involved,” Ago said.
Florian Sulejmani, head of the Police Oversight Agency, insists that steps are being taken to clean up the police force. His agency has investigated 425 officers for misconduct. However, critics, including security expert Sotiraq Hroni, argue that the problem is deeply connected to political pressure and a flawed recruitment process.
According to surveys, 74% of police officers believe political interference is one of the main causes of corruption within the police. This highlights the challenges Albania faces as it works to reform its police system.
