The Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime, within the framework of criminal proceedings no. 138 of 2020, has finalized a complex operation against a structured criminal group, involved in international drug trafficking and laundering of proceeds of crime, suspected of the following criminal offenses:
“Drug trafficking”, carried out in the form of special cooperation, that of a structured criminal group;
“Laundering of proceeds of crime”, carried out in the form of special cooperation, that of a structured criminal group;
“Structured criminal group” and “Commitment of criminal offenses by a criminal organization or structured criminal group”;
These offenses are provided for respectively by Articles 28/4, 283/a, 287, 333/a and 334 of the Criminal Code. Based on the request of the Special Prosecution Office, the Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, by decision no. 36, dated 15.6.2026, has imposed the measure of compulsory personal security, “Arrest in prison”, provided for by Article 238 of the Criminal Procedure Code for 10 Albanian citizens.
Kapitali has learned that one of the main people in this scheme, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued, is Isa Aliu. Through his companies, Mr. Aliu has obtained several permits for the construction of resorts on the coast from Lalzi Bay to the South.
One of the main companies through which Aliu, according to SPAK, laundered drug money is Aliu Road House shpk.
Scheme
Investigations have proven that a significant portion of the proceeds from international cocaine trafficking were transferred to Albania, in cash form to avoid the banking system in the first phase, and were then invested in real estate, in the creation and purchase of shares in commercial companies, various companies mainly in the fields of construction, hospitality, consultancy, etc.
Through these investments, it is suspected that the laundering of the products of criminal activity has been carried out, hiding their illegal origin and enabling their integration into the economy and legal financial circulation.
“After the injections of “cash” into the accounts of the company “Aliu Road House” sh.pk, in order to “justify” future investments, in the months of May 2021 – June 2021, it turns out that the company “Aliu Road House” sh.pk, has begun its activity in the construction sector. It is suspected that, in order not to immediately attract the attention of law enforcement structures, the person under investigation, Isa Aliu, directed that the company initially appear as a subcontractor for housing construction. The appearance of the company in this way would again “justify” future cash flows and the expected expansion in the construction sector,” the SPAK announcement states.
Ekstrakt i Aliu Road House
According to preliminary investigations, it is suspected that the money laundering scheme was carried out through the fictitious purchase of capital shares in commercial companies, at prices many times lower than the nominal value, in order to gain control of the companies at minimal cost.
The funds were circulated through loans between individuals and related companies, with the aim of creating a fictitious economic history and losing track of the origin of the money, before their integration into the formal economy.
Part of the hit are the Bibaj brothers, who also own a number of properties and construction companies, including a hotel in Dhërmi through their company Altea Invest. Shpëtim Bibaj and his brothers also own a hotel, which is affiliated with Melia, called Hotel Elisa Tirana.