‘Migrant mafia’ pose ‘serious threat’ to UK as Albanian criminal warlords spill blood on Britain’s streets

Criminal gangs are said to pose an “acute” threat to the UK while Albanian criminal gangs leaders carry out horrific and violent crimes throughout Britain.

A leaked Home Office legal document has described these gangs as an “acute threat” to the UK, assessing their prevalence across serious and organised crime – including several murders.

The groups are believed to have been working closely with branches of the Italian mafia, which controlled the continental cocaine trade.

A recent inquest has addressed the gangs’ methods, concluding that 29-year-old Rhys Thompson was the victim of an “unlawful killing” linked to a cannabis farm dispute.

Thompson’s body was discovered near Rishworth, West Yorkshire, in May 2021, showing signs of a brutal assault that included nine separate blows to the head.

Eight men were arrested and released under investigation in connection with the death, which reports suggested may be linked to Albanian gangsters.

Thompson’s body was found with parcel tape around his neck and wrists, having suffered multiple broken bones and defensive wounds.

The inquest into Thompson’s death revealed a prolonged and vicious assault and included evidence from a post-mortem examination, which found the victim had suffered two broken hands, a broken forearm and a broken left leg, alongside numerous bruises and lacerations.

Home Office pathologist Dr Michael Parsons noted the parcel tape found around Thompson’s neck had not been used to strangle him, suggesting it may have been used as a restraint.

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The victim’s mother told the inquest her son had appeared “down” before his death and had something on his mind.

Detective Inspector Emma Hulston confirmed the homicide investigation remains ongoing, with the coroner expressing hope it would lead to convictions.

The growing issue of violent gang crime has proved to be particularly prevalent as recently, in Cardiff, three gang members were jailed for the brutal killing of Tomasz Waga, 23, who was murdered in 2021 after attempting to steal from a cannabis factory.

Waga, who had a newborn son, was beaten with baseball bats and bricks before being dumped “like a bag of rubbish” with 25 head injuries.

Serial killer Mane Driza – nicknamed Tony Montana – is due to begin his UK sentence next year for a 1999 London murder, after completing time in Italy for other violent crimes.

Driza, who had previously murdered two men in Albania, killed Stefan Mone in a frenzied attack that left the victim with 120 injuries.

Dan O’Mahoney, then the UK’s Channel Clandestine Threat Commander, warned MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee in 2023 about the extensive reach of Albanian criminal networks.

“There is a huge amount of very harmful serious organised criminality within the UK committed by Albanian criminal gangs,” he told the committee, mentioning their involvement in “drug smuggling, human trafficking, guns or prostitution”.

In 2023, a major crackdown by the National Crime Agency and 43 police forces across England and Wales targeted West Balkan criminal networks, leading to the seizure of nearly 200,000 cannabis plants with an estimated value of £130million.

Officers also recovered £636,000 in cash, 26 kilograms of cocaine worth up to £1million, as well as 20 firearms.

More than 900 people were arrested during the operation, with over 450 subsequently charged.

The crackdown coincided with increased deportations, as nearly 3,000 Albanians returned to their home country in the year to March 2024.