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SPAK and Bari Anti-Mafia action against Igli Kamberi's group/Eurojust: The joint team arrested 12 people, seized around 1 million euros
2026-05-27 19:24:57 / AKTUALITET
Eurojust has reacted following the SPAK operation in cooperation with the Anti-Mafia Directorate of Bari, which targeted a structured criminal group involved in murder, money laundering and international drug trafficking, led by Igli Kamberi.
According to Eurojust, the action by SPAK and the Italian authorities led to the arrest of 12 people and the issuance of arrest warrants for 3 others.
The investigation that began with the discovery of the mystery of the murder of 26-year-old Italian barber, Francesco Divisti, was carried out by a joint team (JIT) between SPAK and the Anti-Mafia Directorate of Bari.
During the investigation, a criminal group was also discovered that was involved in money laundering from Italy to Italy and international drug trafficking. The group turned out to be based in Tirana.
With the active support of Eurojust, authorities in Italy and Albania have dealt a major blow to organised crime groups (OCGs) involved in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. During a joint day of action that took place on 26 May 2026 in Italy and Albania, 12 suspects were arrested and 3 individuals were issued arrest warrants. The investigations relate to a high-profile murder committed in May last year. Eurojust supported cooperation between the Italian and Albanian authorities by facilitating the creation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT). This marks the fifth JIT supported by Eurojust between the Bari Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) between 2018 and 2026 to combat international drug trafficking organisations linked to the territory of Puglia, resulting in more than 170 arrests.
Today's joint action is the culmination of several parallel investigations into various criminal offenses, including murder, drug trafficking and money laundering, which ultimately linked to the same individuals.
On 25 May 2025, a brawl in a bar in the Bari region of Italy quickly escalated into the brutal murder of a victim in a secluded cave in the Upper Murgia area. The investigation into the murder revealed links to drug trafficking activities allegedly managed by an Albanian national. As authorities pursued investigations into both the murder and the drug trafficking, they identified a structured organized crime group involved in international money laundering. At the same time, a separate investigation targeting Albanian nationals operating in the Puglia region was already underway and focused on the same criminal network.
Eurojust supported the establishment of a JIT in December 2023 between Italian and Albanian authorities, facilitating a coordinated investigation into the organised crime group. As a result of the joint investigation and the coordinated action day, 15 individuals were held accountable for various charges, including premeditated murder committed using mafia-style methods, attempted extortion, illegal possession and possession of firearms and ammunition, aiding and abetting, and breach of personal preventive measures. The investigation also uncovered the laundering of almost €1 million in criminal proceeds transferred from Italy to Albania through a structured organised crime group based in Tirana.
The Joint Action Day builds on years of successful judicial cooperation between Italian and Albanian authorities, supported by Eurojust. Between 2018 and 2026, the Bari District Anti-Mafia Directorate (DDA) and the Special Anti-Crime Structure (SPAK) in Tirana set up five JITs aimed at dismantling Albanian criminal organisations involved in the international trafficking of cocaine and heroin in Italy.
In addition to supporting judicial coordination, Eurojust provided JITs with more than 180,000 euros in funding to cover costs related to cross-border investigations, including travel, interpretation and translation, transport of seized items, forensic examinations and specialist expertise, thus reducing the pressure on national budgets.
The sustained cooperation through the five JITs, built on trust, commitment and close operational coordination, has led to more than 170 arrests between 2018 and 2026 and the seizure of over seven tons of drugs, including cocaine, heroin, hashish and cannabis. The investigations have also resulted in prison sentences of up to 20 years for the defendants at various stages of the judicial process.
As the central hub for judicial cooperation in the EU, Eurojust is proud to support its partners in the fight against organised crime and facilitate the effective use of judicial cooperation tools.
The actions were carried out by the following authorities:
Italy: Bari Public Prosecutor's Office - Antimafia District Directorate, Bari Antimafia Investigation Directorate, Andria State Police Mobile Squad, Security Attaché of the Italian Embassy in Tirana.
Albania: Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK); Albanian State Police
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