Courts
SPAK sends 17 defendants to trial for international drug trafficking, over 2.4 tonnes seized
The special prosecutors accuse the group of three marijuana and cocaine trafficking episodes toward Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey, uncovered through SkyEcc communications.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 27, 2026, 14:05 · Updated 18:42 · 1 min read
In brief
- Emiljan Burba, Rexhep Rraja and Ervis Shuli are suspected of leading and financing the structured criminal group.
- Authorities in Montenegro, the Netherlands and Turkey seized about 2,433 kg of marijuana and cocaine in three episodes in 2020–2021.
- The main evidence is communications on the encrypted SkyEcc platform, provided by French authorities.
SPAK, the Special Anti-Corruption Structure, has sent 17 defendants to trial at the Special Court of First Instance, charged with international drug trafficking and participation in a structured criminal group.
Alleged leaders
According to the indictment, Emiljan Burba, Rexhep Rraja and Ervis Shuli are suspected of leading and financing the group. The others are charged as members: Bujar Sefa, Marvin Bushati, Jani Çavo, Përparim Rraja, Gazmir Rraja, Sokol Qaja, Aldo Gjini, Bledar Cafi, Endrit Dokle, Zamir Aliaj, Islam Sefa, Hajdar Sefa, Vidjan Baroka and Agim Nina, also known as Lorenc Selmani. Bushati is also charged with unlicensed possession of weapons.
Three episodes, 2.4 tonnes of drugs
The investigation covers three episodes in which foreign authorities seized a total of about 2,433 kilograms of marijuana and cocaine. On Nov. 3, 2020, Montenegro seized 1,722 kg of marijuana shipped from Albania to Germany. On Nov. 23, 2020, the Netherlands seized 475 kg of cocaine from Ecuador at the port of Vlissingen. On Jan. 26, 2021, Turkey seized about 236 kg of marijuana shipped from Albania.
According to SPAK, the defendants coordinated through the encrypted SkyEcc platform, whose communications were provided by French judicial authorities through mutual legal assistance. Authorities from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Montenegro, Turkey and Ecuador cooperated in the investigation, along with Eurojust, Europol, the State Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.
Prosecutors have split off a new criminal proceeding, No. 9/1 of 2026, to identify other accomplices and pursue asset investigations.
