The general command of Dubai Police announced it has arrested Denis Matoshi, a leader of the Kompania Bello criminal group, a transnational organized crime syndicate involved in drug trafficking and smuggling operations between South America and Europe with an estimated street value of 1.523 billion dirhams (350 million euros).
As part of an international operation dubbed Los Blancos, Dubai Police arrested the suspect who is wanted by the Italian authorities on charges of "criminal complicity and leading a drug-trafficking gang at an international level."
The operation, which involved 10 countries, resulted in arresting 20 wanted gang leaders on Wednesday, in response to the red notice issued by the International Criminal Police Organization "Interpol" to arrest suspects including the Albanian leader in Dubai.
Italian authorities valued the cooperation of the UAE and its Interior Ministry represented by Dubai Police and hailed its swift action to arrest Matoshi, one of the most dangerous leaders of this organization, which worked jointly in three drug trafficking groups between South America and Europe through seaports.
The Italian part also noted that the organization recruited many leaders to mislead the authorities and ensure the continuance of its activities. The gang had been investigated since 2015 by two drug enforcement task forces and the Flying Squad Unit in Florence.
General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, said the Albanian suspect leader from Kompania Bello was arrested in Dubai after intensive monitoring of his movement by Dubai Police in the city based on a red warrant and exchanging information with the Italian authority.
Major-General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, the assistant commander-in-chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, said the 20 suspects were arrested in a single strike by police departments from 10 countries including Italy, Albania, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Holland, UK and the UAE.
