SPAK has today struck another criminal organization, which is suspected of dealing with cocaine trafficking from Latin America to Western European countries.
One of the wanted persons is Fadil Balla, also known by the alias Jul Balla. He is the owner of the luxury resort "Ajman Park" in the city of Shijak, which was seized as part of this extensive anti-drug operation.
In addition to his activity in the tourism sector, Fadil Balla also turns out to be the administrator of the company "AMR sh.pk", an entity suspiciously involved in obtaining public tenders from the Municipality of Shijak. The company has obtained three public contracts, with a total value of around 1.7 million euros, and in all three without having other competitors in the competition.
In 2020, “AMR sh.pk” won the tender with the object “Cleaning, greening and maintenance service of cemeteries”, worth 317 million old lek. The company was the only participant and was declared the winner with a bid of 97% of the limit fund.
In 2022, the same entity won another tender with the same object and in the same institution, this time worth 309 million old lekë. Again, there was no competition and the submitted offer was 98.8% of the limit fund.
In April 2025, the company won the largest contract from the Municipality of Shijak, the tender worth 1.2 billion old lek, for the “Cleaning, collection and disposal of urban waste, maintenance of public spaces and cemeteries”. Once again, “AMR sh.pk” was the only one in the competition and won with a bid of 99.6% of the limit fund.
So, Fadil Balla has not only been successful in the cocaine trade and the superbusinesses he has set up, but also in obtaining public money through tenders.
However, this is the latest case in Albania of how organized crime figures operate in two worlds. In one, powerful traffickers with international connections, in the other, entrepreneurs who benefit from public funds.
