Albania Seizes More than Two Tonnes of Cannabis

Albanian police have seized more than two tonnes of cannabis en route to Italy and arrested a Macedonian truck driver.

The drugs, seized overnight Monday at the central Adriatic port of Durres, were wrapped up in plastic bags and hidden in furniture, police said in a statement.

Police are now investigating whether a trafficking network is operating between Albania and Macedonia.

The latest seizure came as new figures showed Albanian police had seized over 15 tonnes of cannabis destined for Europe so far this year -- more than the 12 tonnes seized in the whole of 2013.

Despite the efforts of the authorities, who claim to destroy between 90,000 and 130,000 cannabis plants every year, the Balkan country is considered a major transit zone for drugs and the leading supplier of cannabis in Europe.

International police officials say most of cannabis is coming from the village of Lazarat, whose 2,000 inhabitants, with help from seasonal workers, produce about 900 tonnes of marijuana per year.

That is worth an estimated 4.5 billion euros ($6.2 billion), nearly a third of the Albanian economy, experts say.

On Monday, police have seized some 1.6 tonnes of cannabis in Karaburun, 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of the capital Tirana. The traffickers had planned to transport it in rubber dinghies to Italy or Greece.