A number of Albanian-speaking criminal groups are leading the narcotics smuggling in the European Union market, a fact that has turned into a worrisome issue for Europe.

The ascertainment comes from Lauren Laniel, an expert of European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drugs Addiction (EMCDDA) in Lisboa.

According to him the European authorities do not exclude the possibility that criminal groups currently operating in Europe may have ties with criminal organizations in Albania whose bosses seem to be untouchable and well-protected.

"Albanians living in Great Britain are gradually gaining control of cocaine market and the average distribution level. They are turning into an even major threat due to the fact that they seem to be involved in some of the largest drugs smuggling networks," said Laniel.

He also underlined that Albanians involvement in the drugs smuggling from Latin America is also seen as a worrisome forward step in the expansion of their capacities to operate in this illicit sector.