The Civil Guard describes the Farruku tribe as a group of Albanian origin led by individuals connected through family ties. They had spent several years in Spain, notably in Madrid and along the Costa del Sol, accumulating a troubling record of murders and arrests across European countries. Their leader, Kreshnik Budlla, also known as Niko, is linked to nearly ten fake identities and is currently avoiding justice. Investigators found Niko posing as an inspector of the Albanian police with authority across the European Union. His card and police badge were seized during a residence check in Madrid. Agencies confirmed that Niko wore Civil Guard uniforms for road trips on Spanish soil to avoid recognition.
Niko represents a crucial element in the Civil Guard’s broader operation on Wednesday, a day that showcased how a disintegrated clan structure could be dismantled in Spain after 17 arrests in Malaga, Cadiz, Madrid, Barcelona, and Toledo as well as 21 house searches. In the Costa del Sol, the most significant actions included the arrest of a lawyer in his office on Calle Larios and another search in Marbella. Agents carried out operations across the country, arresting twenty individuals and continuing investigations into numerous others. The operation involved the preventive seizure of 25 vehicles and 22 properties, including real estate valued at approximately 4,200,000 euros. Accounts and assets belonging to 14 individuals and 30 companies were blocked.
The family group occupied the highest ranks within the structure, directing and coordinating drug trafficking activities. They also relied on Spanish infrastructure, including business people and freelancers who provided broad support to facilitate drug entry into Spain. This support included renting vehicles and ships, and using companies to streamline the transfer of legitimate property. Investigators confirmed conversations between the clan’s main leaders and key members of the Calabrian mafia, illustrating international cooperation in criminal ventures.
kilo-kilo
The Civil Guard reported that the investigation links the group to the distribution of at least 10,000 kilograms of cocaine in Europe, with 2,000 people stopped at the port of Algeciras in January 2022. The inquiry also notes the seizure of another 10,000 kilograms of cannabis in Portugal. The strategy described involved replacing some cocaine shipments with cannabis when financially advantageous, exploiting price differentials between origin and destination markets. Morroccan cannabis has long been highly valued in South America, a reality that shaped this illicit trade network.
The operation began in September 2021, when investigators identified a group planning to promote a large cocaine shipment disguised within a container near the Algeciras port. In January 2022, a shipment of cocaine seized at sea was transported to Guayaquil in Ecuador, where the powder was described as being moved in barrels. The capture led to the death of a band member, Ergys Dashi, who was killed the day after his arrest by two men at a restaurant in Guayaquil. Dashi reportedly acted as a mediator between European criminal groups and Latin American drug lords.
Police teams focused on identifying and locating members, as well as the seized drugs and the positions of leaders within the organization. Throughout the operation, authorities tracked the gang’s attempts to market cocaine by organizing large-scale parties tied to drug distribution, demonstrating the group’s wide reach across Italy, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Spain.