Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
ECUADOR is set to fight Spain over the extradition Dritan Giika, the alleged head of an Albanian drug trafficking gang, after his arrest in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Gjika, known as ‘Tony’, has been a fugitive since 2024, wanted for orchestrating a transnational cocaine smuggling operation from Colombia through Ecuador to Europe.
The arrest, confirmed by Ecuadorian authorities on May 26, 2025, stems from the ‘Pampa’ case, a joint investigation by Ecuador and Spain that uncovered a network responsible for laundering over $30 million through Ecuadorian companies.
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According to reports, the syndicate used banana exporters and other legitimate businesses to hide cocaine in fruit containers bound for European ports.
Gjika’s capture prompted Ecuador and Spain to begin extradition procedures.
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It is now up to the UAE authorities to decide which country prosecutes the suspect first.
The outcome of the extradition fight could have a significant impact on the wider battle against international drug trafficking. Both nations have gathered extensive evidence.
