Albanian police seize drugs destined to Italy
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albanian police say they have seized 1.6 metric tons of cannabis believed to be destined to nearby Italy.
The drugs have been found Sunday hidden in a minivan at a forest in Vlora district, 140 kilometers (85 miles) southwest of capital Tirana, the closest point by sea to Italy.
They also seized another vehicle, a tractor and fuel believed to serve for a speedboat that would transport it. One person has been detained and a few others have been declared at large, according to the police statement Monday.
Albania, one of Europe's poorest countries, produces large quantities of marijuana and is a transit point for Asian heroin, making fighting its production and traffic a top priority for Tirana as it seeks to join the European Union.
