It would be very valuable to set up joint investigation units in the framework of the cooperation between the Albanian State Police (ASP) and the British National Crime Agency (NCA) as it has been done with many EU countries because they would be effective in cracking down on the activity of criminal groups.
This proposal was made by Director General of ASP Gledis Nano at a meeting with Tom Dowdall CBE, deputy director of the National Department, Intelligence Command, NCA, which was attended by the two delegations and the UK Ambassador to Albania Alastair King –Smith on Monday.
Albania’s top police praised the cooperation with the NCA, but also with other British law enforcement agencies and expressed gratitude for the support provided over the years for the structures of the State Police.
At the same time, Nano noted the fact that now is the time for this cooperation to move to another level focusing not only on the exchange of information but also on the organization of joint police operations to crack down on individuals or organized criminal groups in the field of the fight against drugs, smuggling of persons or even in the direction of money laundering, identification and seizure of assets arising from criminal activity.
Both sides expressed readiness for intensive exchange of information between the two countries. The British Ambassador Smith praised the readiness and will of the Albanian side to take to another level the cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries. According to him, it is a concrete cooperation that is ascertained by the initiatives undertaken and those proposed during the meeting which are also a valuable contribution to strengthening trust between the parties.
NCA’s deputy director stressed the seriousness of the Albanian Police in strengthening cooperation for an effective fight against organized crime. / Argumentum.al
