An alleged high-ranking figure in an Albanian criminal network, based in Ecuador, was detained last week in the United Arab Emirates, where authorities suspect he funneled drug proceeds through local firms.
Ecuadoran prosecutors accuse the 48-year-old man, identified as Dritan Gjika, of heading a major drug trafficking operation. He was taken into custody on May 26 in Abu Dhabi under an international arrest warrant issued by Ecuador.
Court papers from Ecuador, reviewed by investigative reporters, detail how Gjika and his associates are believed to have used front companies to transport cocaine from South America to Europe, often concealed in banana shipments. To clean the illicit profits, they allegedly relied on businesses in the UAE and Spain, the documents state.
The evidence gathered by police and prosecutors was compelling enough for a judge to approve the extradition request, aiming to bring Gjika to trial in Ecuador. His legal representative did not respond to requests for comment.
The intercepted communications included in the case file reveal discussions about moving large sums of cash through intermediaries. In one exchange, Gjika is heard telling a contact at a Dubai firm to keep transfers under $50,000 to avoid drawing attention.
Despite these precautions, authorities flagged suspicious activity. Financial records show irregular cash deposits and multiple international transfers that triggered alerts, the documents note.
Ecuador’s national police said Gjika first entered the country in 2009 on a temporary visa but later became one of its most wanted individuals, allegedly leading a network that shipped drugs to Central America, Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Eight members of the group were convicted in January for money laundering linked to drug trafficking.
Spanish law enforcement assisted in Gjika’s arrest, and extradition proceedings are now underway.