Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime

Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime Struktura e Posaçme Kundër Korrupsionit dhe Krimit të Organizuar
Abbreviation	SPAK
Agency overview
Formed	25 November, 2019
Operational structure
Headquarters	Tirana, Albania
Agency executive	Altin Dumani, Chairman
Website
spak.gov.al

Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime, SPAK (Albanian: Struktura e Posaçme Kundër Korrupsionit dhe Krimit të Organizuar) is an independent judicial entity tasked with investigating corruption and organized crime at the highest levels of government and society in Albania. It consists of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Special Prosecution and the Special Courts. Τhe legal basis of the entity is Article 148/dh of the Constitution of the Republic of Albania and Law No. 95/2016 "On the organization and functioning of institutions for the fight against corruption and organized crime".

Structure

• The National Bureau of Investigation (Albanian: Byroja Kombëtare e Hetimit - BKH) is a specialized unit of the Judicial Police which investigates criminal offenses that are under the jurisdiction of the Special Prosecution, in accordance with the provisions underlined by the Code of Criminal Procedure. BKH is composed of the head (director), investigators and the services provided by the Judicial Police which are under the controlled supervision of the Special Prosecution.
• The Special Prosecution office (Albanian: Prokuroria e Posaçme - PPKKO) prosecutes and represents the prosecution on behalf of the State before the Special Courts. It takes measures and supervises the execution of criminal decisions and performs other duties assigned by law. The Special Prosecution office performs its functions independently through special prosecutors who are appointed by the High Prosecution Council.
• The Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (Albanian: Gjykata Speciale kundër Korrupsionit dhe Krimit të Organizuar - GJKKO), which is the successor of the Serious Crimes Court, is composed of 18 judges, of which 5 are permanent and 13 are temporary. It tries all cases brought forth by the Special Prosecution.

High-profile cases

• October 2024 (Arrest of Ilir Meta): On 21 October 2024, the former President of the Republic of Albania, Ilir Meta, was arrested. Meta is accused of money laundering, passive corruption, non-declaration and concealment of assets. Meta's party (PL) calls it vindictive political persecution by the government to silence and undermine opposition. This arrest is the most high-profile corruption case since the creation of SPAK, and Ilir Meta is the second opposition political leader to be arrested after Sali Berisha, who is under house arrest.
• August 2024 (Disollution of an organized crime gang): Albanian police arrested 15 members of an organized crime gang in a series of coordinated raids in Tirana. The operation was made possible with the help of Europol and the French and Belgian authorities, who provided the necessary information to identify the members of the group. The internationally networked gang was involved in contract killings, large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering through cryptocurrency transactions.
• March 2024 (Arrest of civil official for corruption and money laundering): Arrest of Evis Berberi, Director General of the "Albanian Road Authority". Berberi is accused of accepting bribes from companies that won public contracts. SPAK estimates that Berberi benefited from around €2 million invested in real estate, probably through a company he set up to avoid detection.
• October 2023 (Ιndictment against Sali Berisha): SPAK opened an investigation against former President Sali Berisha following allegations of abuse of power. He was placed under house arrest in December of that year for breaching the condition that he report to the police station every two weeks. In September 2024, he was formally charged with passive corruption. The charges relate to the exploitation of his influence as prime minister from 2005 to 2009 to favor his daughter's husband in the privatization of state land at Tirana. The Democratic Party and Berisha himself have repeatedly accused the Rama government of violating the country's constitution by taking "Stalinist measures" to silence political opponents.
• August 2023 (Fraud in a public tender sterilization equipment): Former Albanian Deputy Health Minister Klodjan Rrjepaj and former Health Minister Ilir Beqaj were arrested, among others and charged with "abuse of office", "fraud" and "falsification of documents". The case concerns a 100-million-euro contract signed in 2015 for the provision of medical services (sterilization of surgical equipment) in the country's public hospitals. According to SPAK, the tender was conducted in a way that violated the conditions of fair competition in order to favor the businessman Ilir Rrapaj, who is also among those arrested.
• October 2020 (Incinerators scandal): Following complaints from Democratic Party MPs, the SPAK launched a series of investigations to check the construction and operation of incinerators in Albania. High-ranking members of the state apparatus have already been convicted in this case for corruption and abuse of power.

See also

• Judiciary of Albania