Albania burns 1,777 cannabis plants in four-district operation
Albanian police burned 1,777 cannabis seedlings and plants in Skrapar, Elbasan, Krujë and Lezhë on 21 June 2023, deploying 300 officers and 9 drones. Four growers were declared wanted, and two forest inspectors and a village head were prosecuted for abuse of duty.
🇦🇱 Skrapar, Elbasan, Krujë and Lezhë districts · Albania
On 21 June 2023 Albania’s State Police announced a coordinated operation that burned 1,777 cannabis seedlings and plants in the Skrapar, Elbasan, Krujë and Lezhë districts, deploying 300 officers and 9 drones.[1][2]Four suspected growers were declared wanted, and the case files were sent to the prosecutors.[1][2]
In Skrapar’s Gjerbës unit, officers found 1,000 seedlings grown in cubes inside a greenhouse under the drive coded “Tomorri”; O. Gj., 39, of Bërsak was declared wanted.[1][2]In Elbasan, the drives “Krasta” and “Çereshta” accounted for 252 destroyed plants, including 160 at Seltë in Zavalinë, where A. D., 53, of Tirana was declared wanted; two forest inspectors and the Seltë village head were prosecuted for abuse of duty without detention.[1][2]Librazhd police running “Çereshta” since 18 June found 92 more plants on 20 June, along with a tent allegedly used by wanted suspects S. D. and K. D. and two plastic bags of cannabis seized as evidence.[1][2]
In Krujë’s “Territor i pastër” drive, 195 plants were burned at Cudhi Kamp, and in Lezhë’s “Imazhi” drive 330 plants were burned at Malecaj in Balldren; no growers were identified in either place.[1][2]
Photos and video
Police handout collage from the operation coverage in Elbasan: a camping tent with evidence markers, a seized bag of cannabis, and officers burning plants.Photo details
The police statement gives a running Chereshta total of 672 plants, which does not reconcile with the 252 plants Elbasan contributes to the announced 1,777 total.
No arrests were reported; four growers were declared wanted and three officials were prosecuted without detention.
No weight, area cleared or street value was published.
Albanian police arrested, detained or prosecuted 165 people over cannabis cultivation in 2026 and destroyed 171,566 plants in 593 cases, plus 132,000 seedlings before planting. Presenting the 2026 campaign results with Italy's Guardia di Finanza on 10 November, authorities also reported 17 indoor cases and 89 officials prosecuted for abuse of office.
On 20 June 2026 police in Malësi e Madhe burned 306 suspected cannabis plants in Ivanaj and arrested two men at the plot, N. Z., 40, and K. P., 43. The file went to the Shkodër prosecutor.
Albanian and Montenegrin police destroyed 11,358 cannabis plants in Kelmend near the border and arrested a Shkodër man caught at the site with two unlicensed firearms. It was presented as the two forces' first joint anti-cannabis operation.
Interior Minister Taulant Balla said police arrested or proceeded against 25 people and destroyed 11,729 cannabis plants during October 2023 under the national Operation Focus. Indoor cultivation sites were also uncovered during the month.
