Cooperation with the FBI/ Braho: priority, has helped SPAK’s work, Çela: we are changing our strategies in the fight against crime

On Monday, at the Conference of Former European Students of the FBI Academy held in Tirana, the head of SPAK, Klodian Braho, stated that international cooperation is one of the priorities of the institution he leads, highlighting the importance of exchanging information and experiences in the fight against organized crime, where representatives of key Albanian justice institutions participated.

According to him, cooperation with international partners has helped crack down on organized crime, while information exchange can aid authorities on both sides in their investigations.

“For SPAK, international cooperation is a priority issue for us. It is very important to know the institution you lead. The shared experience at the FBI Academy makes us more professional in our daily work. International cooperation has helped strike against organized crime. Information coming from Albania can help in your countries and vice versa. I thank international partners for their cooperation with SPAK,” said Braho.

Prosecutor General Olsian Çela stated that the evolving nature of crime requires Albanian authorities to adapt their strategies, especially when facing organized and transnational crime.

He focused on the increasingly sophisticated methods of money laundering, including the use of cryptocurrencies, stressing the need for more cooperation and exchange of experiences between institutions from different countries.

“Challenges have become more complex than before. The world is changing fast and so is crime. We need to change our strategies in the fight against crime. We live in a world where money laundering is now done with more sophisticated methods, and we also have cryptocurrencies. We need to be closer to each other to exchange experiences. A clear strategy is required to fight transnational crime, a strategy that includes technological and human capacities. We need to create joint investigation teams. International cooperation is a priority for Albania. The letters rogatory we send are twice as many as those our partners send us. We have the opportunity to increase our capacity and this will make it easier to overcome difficulties. We must cooperate to fight organized crime,” said Çela.

The head of the National Bureau of Investigation, Joni Keta, assessed that organized crime is continuously adapting and using increasingly developed methods to move money abroad.

He emphasized that Albanian authorities are continuing efforts to combat transnational crime, considering international cooperation an important element in facing new forms of criminality.

“Organized crime is constantly changing, while using advanced forms of moving money abroad. The FBI National Academy has contributed greatly to the Police and the National Bureau of Investigation. We are making continuous efforts to fight transnational crime,” said Keta.