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Police dismantle dangerous drug clan: millions worth of assets confiscated!
On June 24, 2025, an Albanian drug clan was dismantled in Vienna; several arrests and large quantities of drugs seized.
Police dismantle dangerous drug clan: millions worth of assets confiscated!
A major blow against organized crime has been achieved in recent weeks. The Lower Austria police, in collaboration with German colleagues, have dismantled a drug clan that has been active in Austria and Germany in recent years. An Albanian criminal organization was discovered that was trafficking several dozen kilograms of cocaine worth millions of euros Slobodna Bosna reported.
During the operation at the end of May, nine kilograms of cocaine, 64 kilograms of cannabis and almost 45,000 euros in cash were seized in Vienna. The suspects, all Albanian citizens and a Slovakian, were transferred to the Josefstadt prison on behalf of the Vienna public prosecutor's office. The investigation into this case was led by the Lower Austria criminal police and the Achilles working group, with police officers from Duisburg and Traunstein also being actively involved.
International dimension of drug trafficking
The dismantled clan is part of a larger network that was controlled by the Albanian group “Kompania Bello”. This organization has been involved in an international drug trade that has been networked through various countries over the past five years. In another investigation initiated by the Italian police in 2015, a total of four tons of cocaine and 5.5 million euros in cash were seized. This comprehensive operation covered 10 countries, including Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, and resulted in the arrest of 104 people, such as Večernji List reported.
“Kompania Bello” was known for its ability to control the entire drug trafficking process, from purchasing in South America to distribution in Europe. The drugs were transported by ship to major European ports and from there distributed using special, hidden vehicles. Sophisticated money laundering methods, reminiscent of procedures such as the so-called “kinesic system,” were also used to transfer the money obtained from drug trafficking.
A serious threat
Europol's findings show that 821 serious criminal networks are currently active in the EU, many of them in the area of drug trafficking. According to a report by ZDF Over 25,000 members are organized in these groups, with every second network being connected to drug trafficking. The main businesses of these networks focus on cocaine, synthetic drugs and cannabis.
The challenge for the authorities remains great as many of these organizations, such as the Albanian clans, cleverly integrate themselves into legal sectors of the economy to disguise and facilitate their illegal activities. The European Union considers organized crime to be a serious threat to security and democracy, which is why cooperation between individual countries and authorities is becoming increasingly important.
Important progress has been made with the recent arrests and the dismantling of this drug clan. However, it remains to be seen what the long-term impact will be on the most active criminal networks in the region.