Police call for visa restrictions on Albania in wake of organised crime surge

Police and prosecutors have called for visas to be reimposed for Albanian visitors following a surge in organised crime from the Eastern European country.

An internal document obtained by De Telegraaf outlined concerns that Albanian gangsters have tightened their grip on the drugs and human trafficking rackets in Amsterdam in the last 18 months.

Albanian citizens were granted visa-free travel throughout the European Union in December 2010, a year after the country applied for EU membership.

Police say the number of Albanians implicated in drugs and smuggling inquiries has doubled since last year. They are also said to have moved up the chain of command and to be taking up pivotal roles in the legal economy, such as the catering sector and real estate.

Last summer Amsterdam police rounded up around 60 suspected gangsters in a series of raids, but the influx of foreign criminals has since increased, according to the report.

Members of Albanian gangs were found living in deluxe apartments rented from private individuals, without being registered with the council. Substantial quantities of high-grade cocaine, cannabis and heroin were also found in the properties, along with automatic weapons, drug packaging equipment and stolen goods.