British police have uncovered an extraordinary international crime ring led by Albanians. An article published in the "Daily Mail" shows how Albanian mafias are fueling the supply of illegal drugs worth millions of pounds in Great Britain. The investigation into them began several months after local residents saw a group of workers in burning vans and wearing work jackets on Wellesley Road in Middlesbrough, digging into power lines along the road. Despite their professional appearance, residents were frightened by a series of small explosions. What made them suspicious was the fact that as the fire broke out, the workers hurriedly put their equipment in the back of their van and quickly drove away, leaving the flames to devour the pavement and causing damage to the power grid.
Although for years, this strange episode seemed like a curious anecdote to locals, it soon became the center of an unprecedented police investigation into an extraordinary international crime network led by Albanian criminals.
Earlier this month, police concluded that these seemingly honest teams of workers were in fact hardened criminals who were fuelling the supply of millions of pounds worth of illegal drugs.
Under the guise of a legitimate company, their mission was to pave sidewalks and reconnect electricity supplies to cannabis farms run by their Albanian masters.
The four-year investigation revealed they were involved in an operation involving around 32 police force areas and 100 cannabis farms, using stolen electricity to power up to £21m worth of drugs. The Albanian criminals, who maintain an iron grip on Britain's drug trade, used the technique of "hydroponics" to grow plants indoors, often using trafficked workers to work in appalling conditions on these drug farms.
In 2023, after an extensive investigation and coordinated raids, 8 men were arrested and convicted for their role in this organized crime network. The investigations have revealed horrifying details of how the gang used legitimate workers and paid imported electricians to help connect the electricity illegally, a technique that helped the mafia evade detection by the authorities.
According to British media, of the 12,685 Albanians who arrived in the United Kingdom by small boats in 2022, many were skilled in the 'hydroponic' technology needed to grow plants indoors.
A large part of this operation has remained unidentified, as the main leaders of this Albanian network, who managed the illegal activity from afar, mainly from Dubai, are still at large.
Investigations are still ongoing, as authorities try to uncover more details about Albanian organised crime connections and how they have managed to control this dangerous market in the UK.
This operation has shed light on the deep penetration of Albanian organised crime activity in Britain and has highlighted the ongoing danger of these gangs operating under the guise of legitimate companies.
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