SPAK Prosecutors meet their colleagues from Rome District Anti-mafia Prosecutor’s Office.

Rome, 20-24 March 2023. EU funded project EU4LEA supported SPAK Prosecutors by arranging a working week with their colleagues from Rome District Anti-mafia Prosecutor’s Office to exchange best practices on organized crime and high-level corruption investigation, asset seizure and confiscation and criminal connection on drug trafficking between Albania, Europe and South America. The working week was also a great opportunity to raise awareness of the Albanian delegation on the potentialities offered by European Union police and judiciary cooperation platforms such as European Investigation Order, European Arrest Warrant, Schengen Information System and Europol “@on” project on joint investigations. The Albanian delegation, which included managers from National Bureau of Investigation and Albanian State Police, had also opportunity to join meetings with Italian elite investigative unit such as Carabinieri Special Operations Group (ROS), Guardia di Finanza Central Organized Crime Investigation Service (SCICO), State Police Anti-crime Hub (Cybercrime Department and Forensics) where cutting-edge special investigation means were shown. Furthermore, the delegation joined working sessions at major central interagency institution engaged in the fight against organized crime at international level, such as Criminal Police Central Directorate, Anti-mafia Investigation Directorate and Anti-narcotics Central Directorate. The exchange of professional experience during the meetings let to focus on specific needs of the Albanian counterpart and paved the way to future supporting initiatives aimed at individual operational topics.