TIRANA, June 10 – Judicial and law enforcement authorities in Italy and Albania, supported by Eurojust, have dismantled a criminal network suspected of committing fraud against the Italian national health system, corruption and trafficking in narcotics, said a statement released by the prosecution authority of the serious crimes on Friday.
Nine suspects were arrested during one day of the operation. An amount of more than 500,000 euros was seized from the suspects’ bank accounts and drugs containing narcotics worth 20,000 euros.
In a press release, SPAK stated that the organized criminal group is suspected of operating between the province of Milan, in Italy, and Albania. The organized criminal group provided Albanian citizens with a range of expensive and unnecessary medical services that would allow them to enter Italy illegally In collaboration with doctors and nurses working in Italian hospitals.
According to SPAK, the investigation documented the issuance of fake medical certificates proving the need of Albanian citizens for urgent life-saving medical treatment in Italy, which allowed them to enter the country and receive medical and pharmaceutical services in violation of the law. Corrupt doctors are suspected of collaborating with the organized criminal group in exchange for money or sexual services.
Members of the organized criminal group are also suspected of being involved in the trafficking of narcotics-containing drugs, which they illegally obtained from the Italian national health system and sold in Albania. Some of these narcotic-containing drugs were used to treat patients with COVID-19, which were in high demand during the pandemic.
The investigation found irregular registration in the Italian national health system of at least 82 Albanian citizens between January 2020 and June 2021. These patients received at least 383 outpatient services and 1554 specialized visits, hospitalizations and prescriptions in violation of the law. /Argumentum.al