Wanted Ukrainian for Drug Trafficking Arrested as He Steps Off the Plane at Rinas Airport

State Police announced today that they have arrested at Rinas airport, as he was disembarking from the aircraft, a Ukrainian national wanted on drug trafficking charges in Kyiv and who will be extradited.

Information about his arrival in the country was provided by the DSS investigative unit office at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, which assisted Albanian law enforcement authorities in the operation.

“The Joint Investigative Services Unit at the Criminal Police Department, in cooperation with the Rinas Border Police Commissariat, thanks to real-time information exchange with the DSS/OCIU Federal International Investigations Unit at the United States Embassy in Tirana, arrested the citizen: A. S., 53, a Ukrainian national. This citizen was arrested by police services at the moment he disembarked at Rinas airport,” police said.

The Ukrainian had been wanted by Kyiv law enforcement authorities for narcotics trafficking as part of a criminal organization.

“State Police is working with partner agencies regarding this member of the criminal organization, and Interpol Tirana is working to initiate extradition procedures with Ukrainian counterparts. Once again, State Police thanks partner agencies for the ongoing cooperation in Albania,” police explained.