The police won a match against cannabis producers in Lazaret

Yesterday, the Albanian police declared victory over the drug producers who for more than 15 years managed the city of Lazaret in the south of the country as their own property, producing huge amounts of marijuana unhindered by the country, otherwise a NATO member, Reuters said.

The police moved through the Lazaret in armored vehicles, stationed their men at checkpoints and collected weapons after five days of conquering this place, where they encountered resistance several times with mortar fire and anti-tank grenades.

The locals now have to face the situation that there is no more cannabis, which was the main source of income for many of them. The police searched the gardens and some luxurious three-story houses made of hewn stone.

Piles of confiscated marijuana were burning, and smoke was visible above the Lazaret.

"The criminal Lazaret that cannot be entered no longer exists," Deputy Chief of Police Sokol Bija told Reuters, recalling the soccer match that was organized earlier this year between the police and the residents of the Lazaret. "They laughed at us in the media because we lost to them in football. Here we are now - we won the last game."

It turned out that the police action, ordered by the socialist government that came to power in September last year, came at the right moment to win the sympathy of the EU, which will decide at the end of the month whether to grant Albania the status of a candidate for membership, after several years of hesitation.

The trail of cannabis confiscated in Greece, Germany and Italy often led to Lazaret, from which half of the total amount of marijuana produced in Albania originated.

In five days, the police destroyed more than 80.000 marijuana stems and about 23 tons of cannabis. 11 pieces of heavy weapons, over 7.000 bullets, explosives and 10 grenades were seized. 130 houses were searched and 14 people were arrested. The police said that most of the principals in the drug ring had fled.

The head of the Lazaret Dašo Aljiko said that the locals complained about "unjust arrests and damage to houses".

Some locals were dissatisfied with the presence of the police. "When will they leave again?", many wondered.

Several acknowledged that the marijuana trade has gone on for too long, but are worried about what will replace it, regardless of the government's efforts to promote clothing and footwear production. "What will people live on?" Aljiko asked. "You tell me that. That's what everyone here is asking."