‘BOSËT E KRIPTOVE’ - Ekskluzive, qarku i parave të pista Dubai-Holandë-Shqipëri - Inside Story

<b>18 people were arrested </b> <b>by the police,</b>

<b>and two others </b> <b>have been declared wanted, </b>

<b>as they are accused </b> <b>of the unlawful exchange of money </b>

<b>into cryptocurrencies </b> <b>and vice versa. </b>

<b>SPAK has carried out one of the most</b> <b>special investigations so far, </b>

<b>seizing assets worth </b> <b>10 million dollars in cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>but also a lot of cash. </b>

<b>Cryptocurrencies are finding more use</b> <b>by criminal organizations.</b>

<b>Once, organized crime </b> <b>laundered money using direct methods: </b>

<b>suitcases full of euros </b> <b>crossing borders, </b>

<b>luxury apartments </b> <b>where millions were stored, </b>

<b>numerous construction projects </b> <b>to make the money appear legitimate.</b>

<b>A living, physical economy, </b> <b>where every step leaves traces, </b>

<b>but also carries its own risks. </b>

<b>Today, everything has changed.</b> <b>The old methods have become too slow </b>

<b>for a world where technology </b> <b>leads everything. </b>

<b>Money no longer passes through customs,</b> <b>nor is it seized on the streets. </b>

<b>All it takes is a laptop, </b> <b>an internet connection, and a click. </b>

<b>Money disappears into virtual networks,</b> <b>crosses borders without leaving traces,</b>

<b>and is transformed </b> <b>into cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>Criminal groups </b> <b>have developed themselves, </b>

<b>they have moved through </b> <b>different methods of money laundering, </b>

<b>from traditional methods </b> <b>to new methods. </b>

<b>And state organizations must be</b> <b>on the same wave of development,</b>

<b>in order to be able to see</b> <b> which are the new windows </b>

<b>that crime follows </b> <b>to hide dirty money.</b>

<b>Referring to the fact that the laundering</b> <b>of the proceeds of criminal offenses</b>

<b>by criminal groups </b> <b>certainly always brings innovation, </b>

<b>it will inevitably also be oriented</b> <b>toward innovations in technology. </b>

<b>Referring to the way digital money</b> <b>has developed in recent years, </b>

<b>this is a challenge in itself</b> <b>for law enforcement bodies,</b>

<b>which must take control of the laundering</b> <b>of the proceeds of criminal offenses.</b>

<b>A "wallet" in Tirana can control</b> <b>millions of euros that appear clean,</b>

<b>but their origin remains criminal.</b>

<b>This is the evolution </b> <b>of money laundering: </b>

<b>from streets and buildings </b> <b>to digital laboratories </b>

<b>where crime intertwines technology, </b> <b>financial fraud, and luxury.</b>

<b>Tracing cryptocurrencies </b> <b>is extremely difficult, </b>

<b>but thanks to the close cooperation</b> <b>we have with Europol, Eurojust,</b>

<b>with countries such as the Netherlands, </b> <b>Belgium, Spain, Germany, France, </b>

<b>we have created a joint team, </b> <b>not investigative, </b>

<b>but one that works as a group, </b> <b>and we exchange information with them</b>

<b>on the new developments </b> <b>produced by the crypto world.</b>

<b>A system where every click </b> <b>can hide a dark story, </b>

<b>and where traces are not left in safes,</b> <b>but on the blockchain. </b>

<b>A digital world that</b> <b>few people understand, </b>

<b>but which has become</b> <b>the perfect refuge for organized crime.</b>

<b>The lack of training,</b>

<b>the lack of sufficient human resources staff</b> <b>to trace these types of transactions,</b>

<b>certainly creates difficulties</b> <b>for state bodies</b>

<b>in identifying who the author</b> <b>behind a transaction has been.</b>

<b>Carrying out criminal activity </b> <b>through cryptocurrencies </b>

<b>forces investigative bodies </b> <b>to move at the pace of technology, </b>

<b>which implies </b> <b>that the investigation </b>

<b>of these methods of laundering </b> <b>the proceeds of criminal offenses</b>

<b>must begin with the accurate </b> <b>identification of the data </b>

<b>that a cryptocurrency contains.</b>

<b>While institutions try to follow these</b> <b>virtual flows, crime is one step ahead: </b>

<b>it has created an invisible economy, </b> <b>where dirty money turns into power, </b>

<b>business, and luxury, appearing clean,</b> <b>but carrying its dark history.</b>

<b>Albania, a country where crime has learned</b> <b>to move faster than the law. </b>

<b>In fact, today Albania </b> <b>is incapable of managing </b>

<b>millions of euros seized </b> <b>in the form of virtual money.</b>

<b>We have encountered a major problem</b> <b>when it comes not to the seizure, </b>

<b>but to the storage </b> <b>of cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>Today, dirty money </b> <b>travels beyond borders,</b>

<b>without stopping at customs,</b> <b>without questions, without a name.</b>

<b>It is transformed into bitcoin,</b> <b>distributed into dozens of virtual "wallets,"</b>

<b>and then returns </b> <b>as clean money, </b>

<b>ready to be invested in businesses,</b> <b>property, luxury, and power. </b>

<b>This is the most modern </b> <b>form of money laundering.</b>

<b>There are companies</b> <b>such as Chainalysis and Arkand </b>

<b>that carry out the tracing </b> <b>of these portfolios; </b>

<b>so far they have had very good results</b> <b>in tracing wallets that are involved</b>

<b>in money laundering </b> <b>or illegal activities, </b>

<b>managing to identify the way </b> <b>these funds have moved, </b>

<b>the way they have been transferred</b> <b>to other wallets </b>

<b>in order to make</b> <b>their tracing more difficult.</b>

<b>A banking transaction </b> <b>is many times safer </b>

<b>and more controllable than a wallet</b> <b>transaction carried out by individuals,</b>

<b>because</b> <b>in a banking transaction </b>

<b>the person is identified through the bank</b> <b>that acts as an intermediary </b>

<b>and the other receiving person </b> <b>to whom the money is transferred. </b>

<b>Whereas in a bitcoin transaction, </b> <b>it is impossible to identify them, </b>

<b>since they are identified through</b> <b>a numerical, alphanumeric code</b>

<b>and there is no data regarding the sender</b> <b>and the receiver of this exchange.</b>

<b>A system built on the illusion</b> <b>of financial freedom, </b>

<b>which in fact today is seen </b> <b>as the safest refuge for organized crime.</b>

<b>And behind this system, there are not only</b> <b>people from the dark world of crime. </b>

<b>Behind this scheme, not only blood money</b> <b>and trafficking proceeds are laundered, </b>

<b>but also money obtained </b> <b>from call center scams.</b>

<b>Behind this scheme stand people</b> <b>who have never seen the stock exchange, </b>

<b>but know how to manipulate the most</b> <b>advanced financial technology systems.</b>

<b>The new methods have the "misfortune"</b> <b>of not having a long history</b>

<b>and, undoubtedly, the aspect of lack </b> <b>of knowledge and training, </b>

<b>of being on the front line,</b> <b>is missing.</b>

<b>But as long</b> <b>as we are discussing it,</b>

<b>this means that attention</b> <b>must also be directed to this sector; </b>

<b>undoubtedly the main element </b> <b>is international cooperation. </b>

<b>Other states </b> <b>have more history than Albania.</b>

<b>This is something </b> <b>that makes many promises, </b>

<b>promises that are not real;</b> <b>so just from the way they are presented, </b>

<b>the way they make contact, </b> <b>the way they present themselves </b>

<b>to obtain a service</b> <b>or to sell a product</b>

<b>these are methods that are not used</b> <b>by large official websites</b>

<b>that are legal, registered,</b> <b>and licensed.</b>

<b>They hide behind offices with</b> <b>darkened glass in the center of Tirana,</b>

<b>where someone every day </b> <b>puts on a headset and, </b>

<b>in a calm voice, </b> <b>tells an investor somewhere in Italy:</b>

<b>"Yes, sir. </b> <b>You have made the right choice. </b>

<b>You will earn a lot…"</b> <b>That is where everything begins: </b>

<b>a global scam that turns people's savings</b> <b>into cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>and then into the assets </b> <b>of a criminal network </b>

<b>that knows only </b> <b>how to erase traces.</b>

<b>It is a sector that has major difficulties;</b> <b>it is new as a sector. </b>

<b>And certainly its development </b> <b>must be parallel </b>

<b>also from the aspect </b> <b>of human resources </b>

<b>within the state administration </b> <b>and state institutions. </b>

<b>In this documentary, we will follow</b> <b>the traces that cannot be seen. </b>

<b>We will uncover</b> <b>the silent network of laundering </b>

<b>through Bitcoin, Tether, virtual wallets,</b> <b>and unidentified exchanges.</b>

<b>We will reveal, for the first time,</b> <b>how the mafia operates in the digital age.</b>

<b>Because now, </b> <b>crime no longer has a face. </b>

<b>It has only a code.</b>

<b>Certainly, cryptocurrencies </b> <b>and digital wallets, </b>

<b>through the ways in which </b> <b>they circulate virtual money, </b>

<b>create difficulties </b> <b>for law enforcement bodies </b>

<b>to identify as accurately </b> <b>as possible, </b>

<b>because it is a process </b> <b>that passes through three phases: </b>

<b>cryptocurrency, wallet, </b> <b>author, or wallet owner. </b>

<b>A bitcoin transaction </b> <b>makes it difficult to reach and prove</b>

<b>the holder of that wallet</b> <b>suspected of having been used </b>

<b>for laundering the proceeds </b> <b>of a criminal offense.</b>

<b>Only in cases when the subject's phone</b> <b>is seized and the data are found, </b>

<b>the access key, meaning the passport,</b> <b>or let us say the certificate of ownership</b>

<b>of the cryptocurrencies </b> <b>found at that address. </b>

<b>Despite these issues,</b>

<b>the Special Prosecution</b> <b>has undertaken concrete actions</b>

<b>by seizing around 11 million euros </b> <b>in assets in cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>suspected of originating </b> <b>from criminal activity.</b>

<b>From the preliminary data available, </b> <b>it appears that in SPAK's hands </b>

<b>are concentrated pieces of evidence</b> <b>related to at least three separate cases </b>

<b>of money laundering </b> <b>with cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>investigations that extend beyond borders</b> <b>and affect transnational networks.</b>

<b>We are in the process of freezing, </b> <b>with the aim of seizure, </b>

<b>an amount greater </b> <b>than 11 million euros. </b>

<b>They are frozen</b> <b>and we are seeking their seizure, </b>

<b>but again we face </b> <b>the same problem, </b>

<b>and this is a moment in which</b> <b>I want to make this concern public </b>

<b>in order to see </b> <b>the possibility of legal changes.</b>

<b>Inside Story has learned </b> <b>that the investigations </b>

<b>for one of these cases </b> <b>have extended as far as distant Syria, </b>

<b>a country gripped </b> <b>by civil war for over a decade.</b>

<b>According to the information obtained,</b> <b>SPAK has requested information </b>

<b>on an account belonging to a Syrian citizen,</b> <b>regarding several suspicious </b>

<b>transactions attributed to accounts </b> <b>involved in the investigation. </b>

<b>SPAK has seized</b> <b>a full 10 million euros </b>

<b>that belonged to the leaders </b> <b>of the Çopja group. </b>

<b>This large amount </b> <b>is suspected to be the product</b>

<b>of criminal activity </b> <b>by one of the most sophisticated</b>

<b>drug trafficking and money laundering</b> <b>networks in the country. </b>

<b>A group involved in the fierce war</b> <b>between the gangs of Elbasan.</b>

<b>We have a dominant majority</b> <b>of money laundering </b>

<b>carried out through </b> <b>traditional methods, </b>

<b>while there is a new trend, </b> <b>not very large in percentage </b>

<b>but nevertheless one that requires</b> <b>increased attention in this sector </b>

<b>where money laundering </b> <b>can potentially be carried out. </b>

<b>Look, crime is changing, </b> <b>and as long as crime is changing, </b>

<b>the state or state bodies </b> <b>must also be on the same line with it.</b>

<b>The identification of the cryptocurrency,</b> <b>the identification of the digital wallet, </b>

<b>and then bringing these actions </b> <b>before the court </b>

<b>is explained as a challenge in itself,</b> <b>because the Code of Criminal Procedure </b>

<b>is not specific</b> <b>in these directions.</b>

<b>Therefore, there remains,</b> <b>so to speak, a legal gap</b>

<b>which offenders can often exploit </b> <b>in committing criminal offenses.</b>

<b>The crypto case linked </b> <b>to the "Çopja" family </b>

<b>is built on encrypted communications</b> <b>on the SkyECC and EncroChat applications. </b>

<b>It reveals how </b> <b>organized criminal structures </b>

<b>have moved from cash </b> <b>to digital code. </b>

<b>They have used modern systems </b> <b>to erase the origin of funds </b>

<b>and return them to the market </b> <b>as legitimate investments.</b>

<b>At this point begins the analysis</b>

<b>of one of the most complex </b> <b>investigations of recent years. </b>

<b>Here there is</b> <b>a very major problem,</b>

<b>because interventions will need to be made</b> <b>in the Code of Criminal Procedure, </b>

<b>since the authority that currently</b> <b>exists for seized assets</b>

<b>the Agency for the Supervision </b> <b>of Seized and Confiscated Assets</b>

<b>does not have legal provisions</b> <b>regarding the method </b>

<b>of taking over and administering</b> <b>these digital assets </b>

<b>that are blocked</b> <b>by the prosecution authorities. </b>

<b>The question arises: </b> <b>who manages these assets? </b>

<b>Which law regulates them?</b>

<b>To thoroughly examine how </b> <b>the prosecuting authority acted, </b>

<b>from the moment it obtained </b> <b>the digital wallet </b>

<b>and transferred the money</b> <b>from the criminals' digital wallet, </b>

<b>so to speak, to the digital wallet</b> <b>of the Special Prosecution, </b>

<b>there remain legal gaps </b> <b>that make this element unclear.</b>

<b>Inside Story has, </b> <b>for the first time, </b>

<b>obtained materials from </b> <b>the Çopja crypto case file </b>

<b>that reveal the new levels </b> <b>of operation of Albanian gangs.</b>

<b>Everything began after information </b> <b>from the Spanish authorities. </b>

<b>A handful of five-euro banknotes</b>

<b>ignited an investigation extending</b> <b>across Europe to Albania, </b>

<b>uncovering an entire </b> <b>laundering network.</b>

<b>According to official </b> <b>Europol data, in 2021, </b>

<b>during a house search linked</b> <b>to a cocaine trafficking investigation, </b>

<b>cash was seized, including several five-euro </b> <b>banknotes with handwritten notes. </b>

<b>They provided information </b> <b>about the individuals</b>

<b>who coordinated and facilitated </b> <b>the financial aspect of the trafficking.</b>

<b>The Spanish Guardia Civil </b>

<b>realized that what it had in hand</b> <b>was a "handwritten invoice"</b>

<b>of a global network </b> <b>that moved millions of euros </b>

<b>from drug trafficking through </b> <b>a parallel financial system, </b>

<b>invisible to banks but readable </b> <b>to those who knew how </b>

<b>to interpret the digital code </b> <b>of the criminal world.</b>

<b>International cooperation and keeping</b> <b>digital money under close attention</b>

<b>is a necessary step</b> <b>so that this sector is not covered </b>

<b>by the veil of money laundering </b> <b>and seen as a dark sector. </b>

<b>Cryptocurrency is not necessarily </b> <b>a dark sector.</b>

<b>SPAK has carried out </b> <b>several similar operations </b>

<b>in which it has imposed </b> <b>seizures on digital assets </b>

<b>that were in bitcoin </b> <b>or other cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>but always only at the moment </b> <b>when an exchange has taken place. </b>

<b>So we have that third party, </b> <b>which is the exchange.</b>

<b>After the seizure </b> <b>of those banknotes, </b>

<b>the Spanish authorities </b> <b>notified Europol. </b>

<b>What was discovered afterward </b> <b>was much larger: </b>

<b>the network had branches in Dubai, </b> <b>the Netherlands, and Albania.</b>

<b>At this stage, </b> <b>SPAK entered the picture. </b>

<b>Cooperating with Europol, </b>

<b>Albanian investigators </b> <b>began tracing digital transactions</b>

<b>that passed through </b> <b>encrypted "wallets."</b>

<b>Each virtual coin carried the history</b> <b>of a dark financial route</b>

<b>from cocaine trafficking </b> <b>to investments in villas </b>

<b>and seemingly legitimate businesses</b> <b>in our country. </b>

<b>Thanks to this operation, </b> <b>a hidden network was uncovered, </b>

<b>where every click </b> <b>on the blockchain </b>

<b>served to launder blood</b> <b>and criminal money.</b>

<b>From Spain to Tirana, </b> <b>SPAK and Europol </b>

<b>seized over 35 million euros</b> <b>25 million in Spain and, subsequently, </b>

<b>10 million euros seized by order</b> <b>of the Special Prosecution in Albania</b>

<b>striking at the core of the</b> <b>"underground banks" of organized crime.</b>

<b>For the first time, </b>

<b>Albanian authorities were facing</b> <b>a new investigative reality, </b>

<b>one in which the evidence was no longer</b> <b>a physical file or a bank account. </b>

<b>It was a code on the blockchain, </b> <b>a chain of transactions </b>

<b>that could be traced only by experts</b> <b>in cyber forensics and criminal finance. </b>

<b>In such a case, </b> <b>it should be essential</b>

<b>that the subject whose</b> <b>assets have been seized </b>

<b>and who is being investigated </b> <b>by the prosecution authority </b>

<b>for laundering the proceeds </b> <b>of a criminal offense</b>

<b>must confirm that</b> <b>he is the user of that wallet, </b>

<b>provide his personal details, </b>

<b>show the transactions </b> <b>that he has actually carried out </b>

<b>and from which he has earned income</b> <b>from this wallet that he manages,</b>

<b>and the main thing is </b> <b>to identify the primary source</b>

<b>meaning the initial moment </b>

<b>when he invested in purchasing </b> <b>these cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>So far there has been </b> <b>a very good result in tracing wallets</b>

<b>that have carried out </b> <b>hidden transactions, </b>

<b>with the aim of hiding money </b> <b>or hiding their investments </b>

<b>that they have</b> <b>in cryptocurrencies. </b>

<b>But it is always about how, </b> <b>at some point, at a given moment,</b>

<b>the digital wallet which is unidentified</b> <b>must be linked to the person.</b>

<b>In the "Bitcoin" case file </b> <b>obtained by Inside Story, </b>

<b>it is stated that </b> <b>the Çopja criminal organization </b>

<b>used every possible means </b> <b>to strengthen its power </b>

<b>and to launder money </b> <b>obtained from crime. </b>

<b>One of the most important tools</b> <b>was the use of cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>Criminal groups, </b> <b>we have seen historically, </b>

<b>have laundered money </b> <b>in other sectors, </b>

<b>but the cryptocurrency sector</b> <b>has created a kind of veil </b>

<b>that makes it seem </b> <b>that money can be laundered easily. </b>

<b>It is not that simple to carry out money</b> <b>laundering through cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>Certainly it is not impossible,</b> <b>but when it comes to licensed platforms</b>

<b>here we are talking</b> <b>about outside Albania</b>

<b>money laundering through these platforms</b> <b>is to some extent difficult </b>

<b>because, undoubtedly, </b> <b>they have client identification.</b>

<b>International cooperation related </b> <b>to the main digital wallet exchanges</b>

<b>and those that primarily </b> <b>circulate cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>such as Binance</b> <b>or another company </b>

<b>or exchange established </b> <b>in 2011 in the USA, named Kraken. </b>

<b>These two are the main exchanges</b> <b>with which Albanian law enforcement bodies </b>

<b>have acted </b> <b>in international cooperation. </b>

<b>SPAK, with the help </b> <b>of blockchain experts, </b>

<b>discovered that the transactions</b> <b>were carried out </b>

<b>through the TRON/TETHER network,</b> <b>with large values.</b>

<b>The file mentions four transactions</b> <b>with values of 105 thousand,</b>

<b>237 thousand, 978 thousand, </b> <b>and around 2 million dollars. </b>

<b>These amounts are suspected to be money</b> <b>obtained from drug trafficking.</b>

<b>At the moment when </b> <b>a licensed platform </b>

<b>knows the person</b> <b>who carries out the transaction,</b>

<b>undoubtedly the difficulty </b> <b>of laundering money </b>

<b>on these platforms</b> <b>is increased. </b>

<b>But unfortunately, we have platforms </b> <b>that do not have client identification. </b>

<b>And these platforms have greater potential</b> <b>for criminal groups to launder money.</b>

<b>An IT expert can directly see </b> <b>on the blockchain </b>

<b>all the transactions where they are</b> <b>coming from, where they are going,</b>

<b>to which exchanges </b> <b>these funds are directed, </b>

<b>and then whether these funds are moving </b> <b>from one exchange to another. </b>

<b>But this requires a lot of experience,</b> <b>a lot of expertise, </b>

<b>as well as some very </b> <b>advanced software </b>

<b>for tracking and tracing </b> <b>these exchanges.</b>

<b>Investigators initially focused</b> <b>on the entry gate, namely the exchanges. </b>

<b>These centralized platforms, </b>

<b>where proceeds are converted </b> <b>into crypto with a click, </b>

<b>are the place where dirty money </b> <b>takes on the mask of legitimacy.</b>

<b>In many cases worldwide, </b> <b>and also in this case file, </b>

<b>operators use local exchange </b> <b>points to legalize the flows. </b>

<b>This is believed to be the reason</b> <b>for the implication of two individuals </b>

<b>operating in the currency </b> <b>exchange business.</b>

<b>The investigation revealed </b> <b>a clear structure: </b>

<b>funds originating </b> <b>from drug sales</b>

<b>were transferred to bank accounts</b> <b>in other countries; </b>

<b>from there they were </b> <b>used to purchase </b>

<b>Tether, Ethereum, and Bitcoin, </b> <b>and were then sent to digital wallets</b>

<b>belonging</b> <b>to a widespread network of users.</b>

<b>One part of the network was clear: </b> <b>accounts on Binance, </b>

<b>other accounts hosted on a platform</b> <b>that turned out to be "ALT 5 Sigma,"</b>

<b>and between them wallets </b> <b>that held large transactions.</b>

<b>The prosecution authority </b> <b>has every right</b>

<b>to impose a seizure</b> <b>if it suspects that this wallet </b>

<b>has been used for laundering </b> <b>the proceeds of a criminal offense,</b>

<b>but it must investigate </b> <b>and gather evidence </b>

<b>in order to proceed </b> <b>to confiscation. </b>

<b>However, there is also </b> <b>a very important issue here, </b>

<b>which is the issue of the key.</b> <b>That is, if this key is not found, </b>

<b>can the prosecution authority </b> <b>use and seize them?</b>

<b>As the investigation progressed, </b> <b>one clear element emerged:</b>

<b>SOLUTION SRL, a company </b> <b>registered in the city of Milan, Italy. </b>

<b>That company was nothing more </b> <b>than a shell that covered the flows.</b>

<b>From October 23, 2024, </b> <b>to July 9, 2025, </b>

<b>transaction data showed </b> <b>cryptocurrency purchases </b>

<b>worth around 40 million dollars</b>

<b>far more than the value </b> <b>declared so far of 10 million.</b>

<b>As the documentation revealed, </b>

<b>the money entered from bank accounts</b> <b>in the United Kingdom and Spain </b>

<b>into a jungle </b> <b>of digital transactions. </b>

<b>From there, it passed </b> <b>through several wallets </b>

<b>and finally ended up </b> <b>at addresses that investigators </b>

<b>linked to members </b> <b>of the organization from Elbasan.</b>

<b>It appears that in the period </b> <b>from 23.10.2024 until 09.07.2025, </b>

<b>the Italian economic </b> <b>operator SOLUTION SRL </b>

<b>carried out purchases </b> <b>of cryptocurrencies USDT (Tether), </b>

<b>ETH (Ethereum), and BTC (Bitcoin), </b> <b>paying in USD and euros,</b>

<b>with monetary values </b> <b>paid from identified bank accounts</b>

<b>one bank account in the United Kingdom</b> <b>and one bank account in Spain</b>

<b>for a total equivalent value </b> <b>of 40 million USD. </b>

<b>After the exchange and purchase </b> <b>of various cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>it appears that different </b> <b>quantities of cryptocurrencies </b>

<b>were sent to a series </b> <b>of cryptocurrency wallets.</b>

<b>These wallets are traced </b> <b>over a certain period, </b>

<b>which can even last several years, </b> <b>until they reach the point </b>

<b>where tracing or matching </b> <b>the person to the wallet is achieved. </b>

<b>That is the key point </b> <b>where the connection </b>

<b>between these wallets </b> <b>is created and it is concluded </b>

<b>that this person is the one </b> <b>who controls these wallets. </b>

<b>Once a digital wallet is identified</b> <b>through a cryptocurrency, </b>

<b>law enforcement bodies </b> <b>are certainly obliged </b>

<b>to precisely determine </b> <b>the owner of the digital wallet.</b>

<b>SPAK requested the accounts </b>

<b>of the entity "ALT 5 Sigma,"</b> <b>the IPs and the history,</b>

<b>which the company handed </b> <b>over on July 16, 2025. </b>

<b>The court approved the preventive seizure,</b> <b>and in cooperation with Europol </b>

<b>and the police of Belgium </b> <b>and the Netherlands, </b>

<b>the wallets were blocked. </b>

<b>Likewise, user data </b> <b>were collected at KODEX GLOBAL.</b>

<b>The investigations revealed</b> <b>the international money-laundering network </b>

<b>and the legal gaps in Albania. </b>

<b>The country lacks a protocol </b>

<b>for the safekeeping and management</b> <b>of seized cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>while criminal groups hide billions</b> <b>with software and technological networks. </b>

<b>Today, I do not know how </b> <b>the prosecution authority </b>

<b>administers a seized wallet</b>

<b>whether by itself </b> <b>or through another institution. </b>

<b>We do not know whether </b> <b>there is a framework, </b>

<b>a regulation, an instruction, </b> <b>a legal basis </b>

<b>that the prosecution authority </b> <b>addresses regarding </b>

<b>both the security and </b> <b>the administration of these funds; </b>

<b>to my knowledge today there </b> <b>is a legal vacuum at this moment, </b>

<b>and intervention is necessary. </b>

<b>There are several difficulties </b> <b>in identifying criminal groups </b>

<b>when they attempt to carry out </b> <b>money laundering </b>

<b>or activities</b> <b>in online transactions, </b>

<b>at least in blockchain technology through</b> <b>different cryptocurrencies not only bitcoin, </b>

<b>but generally several types </b> <b>of cryptocurrencies; </b>

<b>bitcoin is no longer used, </b>

<b>but other coins are used </b> <b>that create even higher anonymity. </b>

<b>The case file shows the use</b> <b>of mixers/tumblers, chain-hopping, </b>

<b>and offshore exchanges</b> <b>to conceal Bitcoin flows. </b>

<b>Thanks to international cooperation, </b> <b>SPAK blocked the accounts </b>

<b>and transferred the assets to wallets</b> <b>controlled by the Prosecution.</b>

<b>From the acts and evidence </b> <b>presented by the prosecutor, </b>

<b>cited above, there arises </b> <b>a reasonable suspicion </b>

<b>that the monetary </b> <b>values/cryptocurrencies </b>

<b>cited in the request </b> <b>under judicial review </b>

<b>are suspected to be </b> <b>the product of criminal offenses </b>

<b>provided for under Articles 287,</b> <b>28/1, 333, and 334 of the Criminal Code.</b>

<b>For the safeguarding </b> <b>of seized cryptocurrencies, </b>

<b>Albania has reached out </b> <b>to European partners. </b>

<b>However,</b> <b>this cannot last indefinitely.</b>

<b>What is required is the establishment</b> <b>of a legal framework</b>

<b>and systems for the storage</b> <b>of these dirty funds.</b>

<b>We encountered many difficulties</b> <b>of course we solved the problem, </b>

<b>but we solved it through </b> <b>close cooperation </b>

<b>with foreign authorities </b> <b>of an EU member state, </b>

<b>which offered itself to us. </b>

<b>The transfer of assets into SPAK's wallets</b> <b>was a delicate process, </b>

<b>since the exchange</b> <b>holds the private key </b>

<b>and can move the funds </b> <b>according to legal instructions. </b>

<b>To avoid manipulation, an institutional</b> <b>wallet with high security was created: </b>

<b>offline cold storage, </b> <b>multi-signature, </b>

<b>and separation of private keys, </b> <b>preventing internal theft.</b>

<b>This structure prevents </b> <b>internal theft and ensures</b>

<b>that the funds </b> <b>do not disappear after seizure. </b>

<b>Criminal procedure </b> <b>is almost completely outdated </b>

<b>with regard to these </b> <b>technological developments </b>

<b>and this evolution </b> <b>of virtual money. </b>

<b>In criminal procedure,</b> <b>it is almost undefined </b>

<b>how one can examine </b> <b>a cryptocurrency. </b>

<b>But this is not a final solution.</b> <b>It is an extraordinary effort, </b>

<b>which brings to light the major legal </b> <b>shortcomings of the system.</b>

<b>Crime does not wait; and until</b> <b>the law adapts to digital reality, </b>

<b>it advances ahead of justice. </b>

<b>A shadow market that flourishes</b> <b>among social networks</b>

<b>and unlicensed exchanges.</b>

<b>Albania approved a law in 2020 </b> <b>on distributed ledger technology, </b>

<b>which at the time </b> <b>was a major step forward, </b>

<b>but that law has remained as such</b> <b>without any secondary legislation </b>

<b>and without </b> <b>any subsequent development. </b>

<b>This was certainly </b> <b>a significant step ahead, </b>

<b>but on the other hand </b> <b>it did not prove to be very fruitful. </b>

<b>The law was created, but it established</b> <b>only some basic principles, </b>

<b>and the secondary acts </b> <b>and guidelines that could have been </b>

<b>issued for its implementation </b> <b>were never adopted; </b>

<b>for this reason, </b> <b>as we speak today, </b>

<b>this activity cannot be controlled</b> <b>through licensing.</b>

<b>Based on the shortcomings </b> <b>identified after research </b>

<b>into investigative case files </b> <b>and legal gaps, </b>

<b>Inside Story addressed </b> <b>the Financial Supervisory Authority </b>

<b>with a request for information.</b> <b>This institution clarifies </b>

<b>that since the entry </b> <b>into force of Law No. 66/2020, </b>

<b>no requests for licensing or authorization</b> <b>have been submitted to the AMF.</b>

<b>Therefore, in Albania </b>

<b>there is not a single licensed platform</b> <b>for cryptocurrency trading.</b>

<b>Nevertheless, dozens of pages </b> <b>on Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram </b>

<b>offer every day crypto buying and selling, </b> <b>cash payments in Tirana.</b>

<b>A market that operates </b> <b>in the shadows, </b>

<b>while the state simply</b> <b>has no one to control it.</b>

<b>This is a problem that arises</b>

<b>due to the legal gaps </b> <b>in the Code of Criminal Procedure, </b>

<b>specifically Articles 274 and 276,</b> <b>which deal with the seizure of assets,</b>

<b>but these articles refer </b> <b>only to the seizure of bank assets, </b>

<b>immovable property, and other items</b> <b>deriving from criminal activity; </b>

<b>they do not specifically provide </b> <b>for such cases of digital assets.</b>

<b>On social networks </b> <b>such as Instagram and Facebook, </b>

<b>many traces are left. </b>

<b>This starts from the very first point</b> <b>of contact with another person, </b>

<b>where you are identified </b> <b>at that moment </b>

<b>through the device you use to access</b> <b>and log into social networks, </b>

<b>through the messages </b> <b>you exchange with one another, </b>

<b>where it is impossible </b> <b>for those messages to be erased, </b>

<b>and through screenshots that can be taken</b> <b>showing that you are discussing </b>

<b>a possible exchange </b> <b>of virtual currencies for cash.</b>

<b>AMF says that a total </b> <b>of 12 regulations </b>

<b>and government decisions </b> <b>have been approved, ranging</b>

<b>from the "Licensing of DLT exchanges"</b> <b>to "Digital wallet custodians"…</b>

<b>But the law has remained </b> <b>a framework without substance: </b>

<b>a house without residents, </b>

<b>where no one has ever entered </b> <b>to apply for a license. </b>

<b>Paradoxically, while the rules exist, </b> <b>no one has implemented them. </b>

<b>The preference has been </b> <b>for the underground market, </b>

<b>where dirty money circulates </b> <b>and institutional alerts are avoided.</b>

<b>AMF says it has not been informed </b> <b>of financial fraud, </b>

<b>but at the same time acknowledges </b> <b>that the informal market exists. </b>

<b>In fact, it has grown so large</b> <b>that in November 2024, </b>

<b>following a referral made</b> <b>by AMF itself, </b>

<b>a police operation codenamed</b> <b>"USDT 1" was carried out,</b>

<b>in which 32 entities</b> <b>were investigated </b>

<b>and 18 were criminally prosecuted </b> <b>for illegal activities </b>

<b>involving cryptocurrencies. </b>

<b>In November 2024, after the alert from </b> <b>the Financial Supervisory Authority, </b>

<b>the Tirana Prosecutor's Office </b> <b>took action, </b>

<b>uncovering</b> <b>a sophisticated network </b>

<b>that circulated large amounts of suspicious</b> <b>money through cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>Companies such</b> <b>as Cryptoexchange.al, Mr.Crypto.al, </b>

<b>Tmt.al, USDTirana, and Usdt_albania</b> <b>carried out cryptocurrency transactions </b>

<b>in exchange for currencies, </b> <b>mainly in cash.</b>

<b>They operated by advertising </b> <b>through social networks </b>

<b>such as Instagram, Facebook, </b> <b>TikTok, and Telegram. </b>

<b>These entities were </b> <b>not merely online profiles, </b>

<b>but a digital shadow economy, </b> <b>where every transaction</b>

<b>was hidden and outside </b> <b>any legal control. </b>

<b>The profiles used different </b> <b>channels to reach clients, </b>

<b>creating an image of trustworthiness,</b> <b>but one that was entirely illegal.</b>

<b>All of this leaves online traces, </b> <b>is searchable, </b>

<b>and if institutions obtain </b> <b>the authority through a court decision, </b>

<b>they can obtain data </b> <b>from these companies. </b>

<b>They can say: provide us</b> <b>with data on this person</b>

<b>in these conversations </b> <b>that have taken place; </b>

<b>with a court order, </b> <b>they are ready to cooperate. </b>

<b>There are several operators </b> <b>that carry out this activity in Albania;</b>

<b>under Law 66 of 2020 </b> <b>on financial markets, </b>

<b>they have the legal obligation </b> <b>to keep under supervision </b>

<b>the entities that carry out </b> <b>these types of transactions. </b>

<b>That is, to conduct a kind </b> <b>of investigation and risk assessment </b>

<b>regarding the transactions carried out</b> <b>through these digital wallets.</b>

<b>To document</b> <b>the illegal financial activity, </b>

<b>an agent was infiltrated </b> <b>as an ordinary client. </b>

<b>According to the investigative file, </b>

<b>the undercover agent</b> <b>held the first meeting </b>

<b>with a person </b> <b>who managed Cryptoexchange.al. </b>

<b>The undercover agent </b> <b>sends him a message on WhatsApp, </b>

<b>entering</b> <b>into concrete discussions </b>

<b>about the interest </b> <b>and the handover of the money.</b>

<b>Agent: </b> <b>How much USDT can I get today?</b>

<b>Subject: As much as you'd like,</b> <b>but my fee is 3%.</b>

<b>Agent: Ok, I'll take 5.000 USDT. </b> <b>Where do we meet?"</b>

<b>Subject: At the shop</b> <b>by the apartment blocks, </b>

<b>bring the money</b> <b>and take the coins.</b>

<b>This was only the beginning. </b>

<b>In every meeting, every movement</b> <b>was recorded, every cent was counted. </b>

<b>The use of cash and digital wallets</b> <b>created a complicated financial labyrinth </b>

<b>that only meticulous investigation</b> <b>could untangle.</b>

<b>In the case of the citizen </b> <b>with the initials L.L., </b>

<b>who handled the money </b> <b>at the family's restaurant, </b>

<b>the conversations ended up revealing</b> <b>how different subjects cooperated. </b>

<b>From the conversations </b> <b>it is understood </b>

<b>that they tried to stay away</b> <b>from the public eye, </b>

<b>especially</b> <b>when exchanging cash.</b>

<b>Agent: "Should I bring the money</b> <b>to the restaurant, as usual?"</b>

<b>L.L.: "Yes, at the register. </b> <b>No need for a lot of fuss."</b>

<b>Agent: "Have you received USDT </b> <b>each time for your clients?"</b>

<b>L.L.: "Yes… </b> <b>I just do what they tell me."</b>

<b>Another case, a citizen</b> <b>with the initials V.L., showed showing</b>

<b>the boldness of a cryptocurrency trader </b> <b>who spared no detail:</b>

<b>V.L.: "Today we will take 10.000 USDT. </b> <b>The money will be given in cash."</b>

<b>Agent: </b> <b>"Where will the meeting take place?"</b>

<b>V.L.: "In the center's parking lot,</b> <b>secretly, no one should know."</b>

<b>Every conversation was living proof</b> <b>of how the network functioned, </b>

<b>a mosaic where money,</b> <b>digital communication, </b>

<b>and the fear of being discovered </b> <b>were intertwined with every word. </b>

<b>In every fee, every wallet, </b> <b>every transaction, </b>

<b>the investigation documented </b> <b>the path of the money </b>

<b>from ordinary clients</b> <b>to individuals operating without a license.</b>

<b>When virtual coins pass</b> <b>from the person who is selling them</b>

<b>to the person</b> <b>who is receiving the cash. </b>

<b>And this is what happens most often,</b> <b>that the money is converted into cash,</b>

<b>and cash leaves traces </b> <b>and can be tracked. </b>

<b>This investigative strategy,</b> <b>using simulated actions and surveillance, </b>

<b>made it possible to accurately</b> <b>document every transaction.</b>

<b>According to the investigative file, </b> <b>from September 26 to 30, 2024, </b>

<b>the agent also connected </b> <b>with two other citizens </b>

<b>who carried out</b> <b>similar transactions. </b>

<b>Every action, every conversation, </b> <b>was carefully recorded, </b>

<b>creating a clear portrait </b> <b>of the criminal financial network.</b>

<b>The infiltrated agent documented </b> <b>several episodes of this scheme.</b>

<b>After months of wiretaps, </b> <b>meetings, and verifications, </b>

<b>the prosecution managed </b> <b>to document the entire network, </b>

<b>creating a clear picture </b>

<b>of how unlicensed cryptocurrency</b> <b>markets operate in Albania. </b>

<b>The blockchain</b> <b>should be considered </b>

<b>as an open accounting ledger </b> <b>where every transaction leaves traces. </b>

<b>No transaction can be forgotten, </b> <b>cannot be erased,</b>

<b>and cannot be manipulated, </b>

<b>but the only duality that this type</b> <b>of technology creates is the fact</b>

<b>you cannot find the name of the person</b> <b>who carried out the transaction.</b>

<b>Once the perpetrators and the owners</b> <b>of the digital wallets are identified, </b>

<b>at that point the law enforcement body</b> <b>has it very easy to identify </b>

<b>which person may have deposited </b> <b>or withdrawn money from this digital wallet. </b>

<b>Once this process is completed, </b> <b>it certainly leads </b>

<b>to a more accurate depiction </b> <b>of the picture </b>

<b>of laundering the proceeds </b> <b>of criminal offenses.</b>

<b>Another SPAK case file shows </b>

<b>how an international fraud network, </b> <b>based in Tirana, </b>

<b>made millions of euros disappear</b> <b>from foreign citizens through Bitcoin. </b>

<b>In the offices of "Don Bosko," which</b> <b>appeared to be marketing companies, </b>

<b>a call center was operating</b> <b>that defrauded victims from Europe,</b>

<b>convincing them to invest </b> <b>in fake platforms.</b>

<b>One of them was the Italian </b> <b>pensioner Alfredo Boenco, </b>

<b>who lost 700 thousand euros </b> <b>after his money </b>

<b>was converted into Bitcoin </b> <b>and disappeared into anonymous wallets. </b>

<b>Italian investigations </b> <b>uncovered links </b>

<b>to a structured network in Albania </b> <b>that used fictitious exchanges, </b>

<b>mixers, and peer-to-peer platforms </b> <b>to erase every trace.</b>

<b>All licensed exchanges, </b>

<b>from the very first stage </b> <b>of opening or accessing an account,</b>

<b>require an identity card and verification</b> <b>of where the funds come from </b>

<b>and who you are</b> <b>as a person. </b>

<b>They do this because </b> <b>it is required under </b>

<b>the rules of the state </b> <b>where you are entering; </b>

<b>it is required as a method of verification</b> <b>that you are a real person</b>

<b>and that you are entering </b> <b>a system to invest. </b>

<b>This is the worst way to use</b> <b>such platforms for money laundering.</b>

<b>Organized crime has, </b> <b>for several years now, </b>

<b>found this to be </b> <b>a very effective way </b>

<b>to launder money derived </b> <b>from criminal activity </b>

<b>and to legitimize it, </b>

<b>because these are platforms </b> <b>that are very difficult to trace. </b>

<b>They have also exploited </b> <b>the moment of legal vacuum </b>

<b>that Albania has regarding </b> <b>the use and recognition </b>

<b>of the way these transactions </b> <b>are carried out. </b>

<b>SPAK documented a group </b> <b>with clear roles: </b>

<b>leaders, operators, </b> <b>IT specialists, and financial managers</b>

<b>who laundered millions of euros </b> <b>through cryptocurrencies. </b>

<b>A scam that began </b> <b>with an online advertisement, </b>

<b>but exposed </b> <b>a sophisticated system</b>

<b>where technology </b> <b>became a refuge for crime.</b>

<b>In the end, </b> <b>the irony is bitter: </b>

<b>Albanian crime controls digital wallets</b> <b>that move millions in seconds, </b>

<b>while the state still does not </b> <b>even have one of its own </b>

<b>to store</b> <b>the seized cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>On paper, Albania has laws </b> <b>and regulations on cryptocurrencies; </b>

<b>in practice, not a single platform</b> <b>has been licensed. </b>

<b>Law 66/2020 remains empty, </b> <b>while the real market </b>

<b>develops on social networks </b> <b>and foreign platforms, </b>

<b>often as digital pyramid schemes. </b>

<b>The AMF admits that it has not received</b> <b>any licensing requests, </b>

<b>while the Bank of Albania </b> <b>warns citizens </b>

<b>about the risks </b> <b>of uncontrolled investments.</b>

<b>The most important thing </b> <b>is the creation </b>

<b>of a clear body within </b> <b>the Code of Criminal Procedure </b>

<b>for the manner of examining, </b> <b>identifying, seizing, </b>

<b>and confiscating virtual money, </b>

<b>while preserving the right balance</b> <b>of privacy protection, </b>

<b>because not everyone </b> <b>who invests in cryptocurrencies </b>

<b>is a criminal </b> <b>and carries out that activity </b>

<b>for laundering the proceeds </b> <b>of criminal offenses. </b>

<b>We do not have </b> <b>any licensed entity </b>

<b>with regard </b> <b>to cryptocurrency trading, </b>

<b>which in fact makes one suspect </b> <b>that we had legislation, </b>

<b>but on the other hand we did not have</b> <b>any entity interested in registering. </b>

<b>It should be examined in fact how</b> <b>this legislation should be applied, </b>

<b>how to act with entities </b>

<b>that seek to register in Albania </b> <b>in order to trade cryptocurrencies.</b>

<b>The state knows that cryptocurrencies</b> <b>are used for money laundering, </b>

<b>but it has neither the tools </b> <b>nor the structures to monitor them. </b>

<b>MONEYVAL lists Albania </b> <b>as high risk for money laundering </b>

<b>due to the lack of control.</b>

<b>At a time when other countries </b> <b>are building digital systems </b>

<b>for the safekeeping </b> <b>and auditing of assets,</b>

<b>Albania still does not know </b> <b>how to open a wallet. </b>

<b>The question remains: how can a state</b> <b>control money laundering </b>

<b>when it cannot even manage </b> <b>what it seizes?</b>