Italy and Albania, with active support from Eurojust, carried out a joint operation aimed at dismantling an organised crime network linked to a murder and to large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. According to Eurojust, the joint action day took place on 26 May 2026 across Italy and Albania. During the operation, 12 suspects were arrested and summonses were issued against three individuals. The investigations are connected to a high-profile murder committed in May last year. Eurojust said it helped the Italian and Albanian authorities cooperate by facilitating the establishment of a joint investigation team (JIT). The JIT framework is intended to support cross-border investigations involving prosecutors and investigative authorities. Eurojust noted that this was the fifth JIT it has supported between the Public Prosecution Office of Bari and Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) over the period from 2018 to 2026. The cooperation, Eurojust said, has been focused on international drug trafficking organisations with ties to the Apulian territory. In total, Eurojust reported that the JIT cooperation has resulted in more than 170 arrests. The latest operation, Eurojust added, is part of continued efforts to tackle international organised crime networks operating across borders. The individuals arrested or summoned have not been convicted in the information provided. Arrests and summonses indicate that suspects may be subject to criminal proceedings, but guilt is not established unless determined through the relevant legal process.