Claim that Albanian-linked groups control cocaine markets in London, Israel and Ecuadorian ports (raised in the Channel 5 interview)

Under investigationFrom 2020Latest source: 2 Nov 2026

Status: Interviewer's claims; Rama disputes the mafia characterisation; the cited DEA and SPAK reports not found in sources reviewed.

Summary

In the interview, Callaghan said Albanian organized crime has grown and dominates cocaine markets in Europe, Australia and other countries. He cited DEA reports and SPAK intelligence and named London, Israel and Ecuadorian ports as markets reportedly controlled by groups linked to Albanian mafia (per Hashtag.al and Javanews). Rama replied, as press-quoted: 'Por nuk ka asgjë si një mafia shqiptare që kontrollon botën e kokainës' ('But there is nothing like an Albanian mafia controlling the cocaine world'), and: 'Ka shqiptarë, siç ka amerikanë, siç ka spanjollë ose italianë... që janë të përfshirë në këtë zinxhir mbarbotëror' ('There are Albanians, just as there are Americans, Spaniards or Italians, involved in this global chain'). The archive holds official cases of Albanian-linked cocaine networks (Eurojust, Operation Los Blancos, 2020) and secondary reporting on Albanian groups. It does not hold the specific DEA or SPAK reports cited for London, Israel or Ecuador.

Key facts

Claimed markets: London, Israel, Ecuadorian ports (interviewer; per Hashtag.al and Javanews).
Eurojust (official, archive doc-eurojust-los-blancos-2020): Operation Los Blancos dismantled one of Europe's most active Albanian cocaine trafficking networks, close to 4 tonnes of cocaine seized.
Europol 2024 (secondary, per archive doc-follow-the-money-eu-files-2025): Albanian mafia among the five most threatening groups in Europe; SPAK counted 16 Albanian criminal groups in 2024.

The record

Four lists kept apart on purpose: what is established, what is only alleged, what is still open, and what those concerned said.

What is proven (1)

Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.

Albanian-linked trafficking networks have been prosecuted in Europe (Eurojust, Operation Los Blancos, 2020; archive doc-eurojust-los-blancos-2020).

What is alleged (1)

Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.

AllegationControl of cocaine markets by Albanian groups in named cities (interviewer; not confirmed).

Allegations and who made them (1)

Each line is an allegation as recorded, with the person or body that made it where the record names them.

AllegationInterviewer (per Hashtag.al, Javanews): Albanian groups dominate cocaine markets in Europe and Australia, and control markets in London, Israel and Ecuadorian ports. Not confirmed in the original source.

Open questions (2)

Which DEA report and which SPAK intelligence are meant?
Is there an official source for control of London and Ecuadorian ports by Albanian-linked groups?

Responses (1)

Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.

Rama (press quote via Javanews and Hashtag.al, 2026-11-02): 'Kjo është një tjetër marrëzi' ('This is another piece of nonsense'); the SPAK director 'himself told me the Albanian mafia does not exist' (reported, not verified).

Timeline

Full timeline →

7 Oct 2026Media

Channel 5 announces that Rama walked out of its interview with Andrew Callaghan

Channel 5 posted that Rama left an interview with Andrew Callaghan after questions on corruption, money laundering, drug trafficking and Jared Kushner, and that the full interview would be published the following week (X post; Ditar, Balkanweb, INA reports of 2026-10-07 and 2026-10-08). The reports rely on Channel 5's account. Ditar says Rama 'chose the easy way out' and left 'annoyed'; no direct quote from Rama appears in those reports. Other outlets on 2026-11-02 (Javanews, Hashtag.al) describe Rama answering at length in the released material, which conflicts with the walkout framing and is unresolved.

Officially reportedRama ndërpret intervistën me gazetarin amerikan, Channel 5INA · 8 Oct 2026 · journalism · SQ

2 Nov 2026Media

Channel 5 publishes the full interview with Rama (per Albanian outlets)

Hashtag.al, Javanews and 5pyetjet.al report that the full Channel 5 interview with Rama was published on 2026-11-02. They list topics: the protests and 'Flamingo Revolution', organized crime and cocaine, real estate, Sazan and Zvernec (Kushner), land titles and the Artur Shahu case, arrests of officials, Ivanka Trump's trip and a claimed yacht visit, tourism and GDP figures, Gen Z trust, and fascism, Hamas and Israel/Palestine. The YouTube link given by Hashtag.al does not clearly match this title (see video record). Verification of the full text against the video is pending.

UnverifiedIntervista e tensionuar e Ramës me gazetarin amerikan (E plotë)Hashtag.al · 2 Nov 2026 · journalism · SQ

Hypotheses

Possible explanations that connect this record with other findings. They are not findings; each lists the evidence for and against.

Source label: Unverified
The 'no Albanian mafia' denial is narrower than the organized-crime record it answers
Rama's denial targets the phrase 'Albanian mafia controlling cocaine markets'. The archive records official Albanian-linked trafficking networks (Eurojust 2020) and secondary Europol and SPAK counts of criminal groups. The hypothesis is that the denial is strongest against the 'control' claim and weakest against the existence of Albanian-linked groups. Both can be true, which explains the disagreement between Channel 5 and the Albanian press.
Evidence for
- Rama attributes the mafia denial to the SPAK director (press quote); no SPAK document saying so is in the archive.
- The cocaine-market claims (London, Israel, Ecuador) have no source in the archive, which weakens the interviewer's case as stated.
Evidence against
- Eurojust records one of Europe's most active Albanian cocaine networks (doc-eurojust-los-blancos-2020, official).
- Secondary Europol and SPAK counts put Albanian groups among the most threatening in Europe (doc-follow-the-money-eu-files-2025).

Sources for this record

Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 7 sources.