An Albanian drug ring that has been selling around €2.5 million worth of narcotics in the Vienna area since summer 2020 has been dismantled. Lower Austria police announced Monday ten arrests in Austria and Germany. Seven suspects are in pretrial detention at Vienna–Josefstadt prison. Authorities seized nine kg of cocaine, 64 kg of cannabis, and €44,265 in cash.
The main suspect is a 32-year-old Albanian national living in Gänserndorf district. His alleged mastermind is his 48-year-old uncle, who resides in Duisburg. Led by Lower Austria’s State Criminal Police, five suspects—two smugglers and three street dealers or “stash-holders”—were identified and arrested simultaneously in Austria and Germany. The ten suspects include nine Albanian men and one Slovak woman.
Under the “La Familia” task force—comprising Interior Ministry units and German investigators—at least 32 kg of cocaine and 65 kg of cannabis were traced to the gang. Large drug hauls were confiscated on 26 and 28 May during coordinated raids across both countries.
All seven Austria-arrested suspects remain in Vienna–Josefstadt. One Germany-arrested suspect is in extradition custody, and two cases continue under German jurisdiction.
