• Vigorously investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes, including those involving complicit officials, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms.
• Increase partnership and support to MIUs and ensure law enforcement routinely participates on victim identification efforts.
• Consistently convene the NRM and Responsible Authority to coordinate and effectively oversee the implementation of victim identification and referral SOPs.
• Ensure victims are not inappropriately penalized solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.
• Establish specialized police and prosecutors to investigate and prosecute trafficking and provide advanced training, including victim-centered approaches.
• Increase partnerships with shelters for trafficking victims.
• Increase the availability and quality of protection services, including long-term housing, vocational training, and education, for all trafficking victims.
• Increase efforts to screen vulnerable populations for trafficking indicators and train police, labor inspectors, and other front-line officials on the existing SOPs and NRM for proactive victim identification and referral to services.
• Implement a systemic victim-witness assistance program to increase protection services for victims participating in criminal justice proceedings, and train law enforcement and judicial officials to use victim-centered approaches during investigations, prosecutions, and court proceedings.
• Train judges on restitution in criminal cases and create effective methods to allocate restitution and compensation in a timely manner.
• Integrate Romani groups into decision-making processes regarding victim protection.
• Expand the jurisdiction of labor inspectors to inspect businesses that are not legally registered.

The government increased anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts.

Articles 110(a) and 128(b) of the criminal code criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking and prescribed penalties of eight to 15 years’ imprisonment for a trafficking offense involving an adult victim, and 10 to 20 years’ imprisonment for an offense involving a child victim. These penalties were sufficiently stringent and, with respect to sex trafficking, commensurate with those prescribed for other grave crimes, such as rape. In 2024, the Albanian State Police (ASP) investigated 69 cases (65 cases for sex trafficking and four cases for labor trafficking), compared with 26 cases in 2023. The General Prosecution Office (GPO) prosecuted 13 cases and four alleged traffickers (all for sex trafficking), compared with eight prosecutions in 2023. GPO continued three prosecutions initiated in previous years. Separately, the Special Prosecution Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) initiated one new investigation in 2024 (one in 2023) and continued to prosecute four cases initiated in previous reporting periods. Courts convicted two sex traffickers and two labor traffickers – the first conviction since 2021. Judges sentenced the two sex traffickers and one labor trafficker to jail time but did not provide specific sentencing data. A court issued a suspended sentence and probation for one labor trafficker, which weakened deterrence and did not adequately reflect the nature of the crime. The ASP also investigated five cases for “knowingly soliciting or patronizing a sex trafficking victim to perform a commercial sex act,” compared with three cases in 2023. The government did not report any new investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees complicit in human trafficking crimes; however, corruption and official complicity in trafficking crimes remained concerns.

ASP’s Criminal Police Department Directorate of Investigations of Narcotics and Trafficking maintained an Anti-Trafficking Unit (ATU) with five specialized investigators that investigated trafficking in persons in addition to drug and contraband trafficking. Each of ASP’s 12 regional directorates also maintained a section that investigated trafficking among other crimes. SPAK and the Special Court of Appeals on Corruption and Organized Crime maintained jurisdiction over trafficking cases related to organized crime, while GPO and district courts handled trafficking cases without an organized crime nexus. GRETA, OSCE, prosecutors, and other observers continued to report ASP and district prosecutors did not have the specialized experience and capacity to investigate and prosecute trafficking cases. Local police officers lacked an understanding of trafficking and did not consistently notify the ATU of potential trafficking cases. For example, authorities conflated overlapping elements of “exploitation of prostitution” and sex trafficking and, at times, used the charge with a lesser burden of proof because it required less specialization and time and/or because of the false belief that trafficking crimes required a transnational element. Similarly, some authorities prosecuted defendants with “disgraceful acts against minors,” “sexual harassment,” or “sexual intercourse with violence” instead of trafficking. Limited personnel and financial resources and reports of constant turnover of law enforcement created additional obstacles in maintaining capacity to investigate trafficking, including a lack of resources to investigate organized crime cases and/or cases facilitated by virtual means. The government maintained institutionalized training programs at the School of Magistrates for judges, prosecutors, and judicial police. The government, in cooperation with NGOs and international organizations, trained police, judges, prosecutors, and victim coordinators on various anti-trafficking issues. The government extradited three suspected traffickers to Italy, Kosovo, and Norway; received two suspected traffickers extradited from other countries; and cooperated on five cases with foreign authorities.

The government slightly increased victim protection efforts.

The government and NGOs identified 178 potential victims, compared with 165 in 2023. Of the 178 potential victims, traffickers exploited 70 in sex trafficking, 28 in labor trafficking, including 12 in forced criminality, and 80 in an unspecified form of exploitation; 65 were women, 17 were men, 47 were girls, and 49 were boys; and 45 were foreign national victims. MIUs in nine regions, comprising social workers from NGOs and police officers, continued to identify most victims, but the units’ sustainability remained uncertain because of a lack of resources. MIUs identified 98 potential victims (55 percent of total potential victims), compared with 115 potential victims (70 percent of total potential victims) in 2023. Police and other first responders identified 67 potential victims, compared with 50 in 2023. Experts reported police did not participate consistently in MIUs, despite signing an MOU that formalized their participation, and law enforcement rarely initiated investigations when civil society identified a potential victim. The government maintained a multidisciplinary NRM with SOPs for identifying and referring victims to services. However, observers continued to report border police lacked resources, interpreters, and knowledge to screen consistently or implement SOPs for migrants and asylum-seekers. As in previous years, ASP did not screen individuals in commercial sex for indicators of trafficking during law enforcement operations and investigations of commercial sex establishments. Law enforcement justified cases of potential domestic servitude and forced labor in forced marriages involving Romani and Balkan-Egyptian communities as traditional cultural practices and customs. The government maintained the “Responsible Authority” tasked with coordinating the implementation of the NRM; however, experts reported the government did not proactively coordinate or convene meetings for the Responsible Authority or NRM, and the meetings that occurred were inefficient, had low attendance, and failed to discuss victim care placement. The NRM met three times (six in 2023). Law enforcement and state social services conducted joint interviews for potential victims who voluntarily requested official victim status. While the law provided equal services and rights for potential and officially recognized victims, OSCE and other observers reported police lacked specialized knowledge, interview rooms, and staff to accurately conduct an assessment for official victim status. The government formally assessed 15 potential victims as official victims (one in 2023).

The government operated one specialized shelter for trafficking victims and supported three specialized NGO-run shelters. The government allocated 33 million leks ($351,620) to NGO-run shelters to support staff salaries, compared with 22.7 million leks ($241,880) in 2023. The government provided an additional 9.8 million leks ($104,420) for food support to NGO-run shelters, compared with 7.2 million leks ($76,720) in 2023. The government allocated 28.5 million leks ($303,680) to the government-run shelter, compared with 24.1 million leks ($256,790) in 2023. The Vlora municipal government allocated €35,000 ($36,420) to one NGO-run shelter for operational costs, compared with 1.4 million leks ($14,920) in 2023. Despite the increased funding for staff salaries, NGO-run shelters continued to operate under financial constraints, including rising costs for attorneys, security, and long-term victim assistance, and relied on non-governmental sources for operating costs. The government did not allocate any resources from a fund of seized criminal assets for victim support services for the third consecutive year.

The four specialized shelters constituted the National Coalition of Anti-Trafficking Shelters (NCATS); victims who required services not available in one shelter were referred to another shelter in the coalition. NCATS and the government provided food, mental health counseling, legal assistance, health care, educational services, employment services, assistance to victims’ children, financial support, long-term accommodations, social activities, vocational training, and post-reintegration follow-up; NCATS and the government provided support to 369 potential victims, including 180 identified in 2024 (328 in 2023). NCATS maintained capacity to accommodate 71 victims, including 10 children. One NGO-run shelter provided specialized services for child victims and rented apartments for male victims, where they received assistance from NGOs. NGO-run shelters allowed adult victims to leave the shelter voluntarily, while the state-run shelter required victims to receive permission from the shelter director for their security. Observers reported the shelters in the NCATS had professional staff and quality care, despite funding limitations, and the government reported good cooperation between NCATS and government institutions. However, experts reported a lack of resources for long-term care, employment, and other reintegration efforts, particularly for male victims, child victims, and victims with children. For example, municipal governments rarely provided housing for victims because of a long list of requirements, and service providers faced obstacles in renting short-term apartments for victims because of the preference of landlords to only sign long-term leases. An expert reported authorities referred individuals who were not trafficking victims to the government-run shelter due to the general absence of care and accommodation for people in need, including individuals with mental health issues and individuals with drug abuse issues. The government and NGOs provided vocational training for 91 victims and job placement assistance to 72 victims. The government also supported eight victims to start small businesses and enrolled 14 victims into an economic assistance program that dispersed 9,900 leks ($100) per month. Foreign victims had access to the same services as Albanian victims; the law provided foreign victims a three-month “reflection period” with temporary residency status and authorization to work for up to two years. The government provided residency status to two foreign victims (one in 2023).

Authorities charged victims of sex trafficking with commercial sex offenses solely committed as a direct result of being trafficked. For example, police and NCATS identified five potential trafficking victims the government prosecuted for commercial sex offenses. Similarly, due to inconsistent implementation of victim identification SOPs, authorities detained or deported unidentified victims, including women in commercial sex, migrants, and asylum-seekers, for unlawful acts committed solely as a direct result of being trafficked. Observers reported authorities deported potential trafficking victims, despite requesting the Responsible Authority intervene to screen for trafficking indicators. The government reported seven victims chose to participate in investigations and prosecutions, and it provided legal assistance, in cooperation with NGOs, to 301 victims, a significant increase compared with 88 in 2023. The government reported interviews and testimonies took place in the presence of a psychologist, and prosecutors separated victims and defendants during trials to prevent re-traumatization. Police stations and district courts lacked secure interview rooms and equipment to allow remote interviews and testimony, but SPAK possessed equipment that allowed testimony via video conferences, though it did not report how often it was used. Victims who testified against traffickers had access to the victim-witness protection program; no victims participated in the program in 2024. Experts reported some prosecutors did not respond to requests or fulfill their responsibilities to provide assistance to victims and witnesses. For example, an NGO representing a victim requested witness protection for multiple victims, but the courts rejected the request or postponed the decision after the prosecutor failed to appear in court. In previous years, prosecutors did not respond to a request to remove parental rights from a parent exploiting their child. Victim assistance coordinators provided legal assistance and guided victims in accessing services; the government appointed victim assistance coordinators to all victims participating in prosecutions. The government maintained the Development Center for Criminal Justice, which staffed prosecutors and a judicial police officer responsible for child protection in criminal proceedings, and 15 child friendly interview rooms; however, observers reported authorities did not use child friendly interview rooms properly due to a lack of knowledge and maintenance. Observers reported difficulties in finding interpreters and interpreters refusing to come to court proceedings due to low fees and delays in payment. The government signed cooperation agreements with higher education institutions to add to a list of professionals that provided pro bono legal assistance to victims; however, observers reported lawyers did not always have knowledge on victims’ rights, courts did not consistently use victim-centered techniques, and the government often did not provide victims with necessary legal documents. Victims could obtain restitution through criminal proceedings or compensation through civil suits. However, courts generally denied restitution in criminal proceedings, and civil suits required victims to submit new testimonies, potentially causing re-traumatization. In addition, civil courts previously dismissed or closed civil suits if criminal courts dropped the case or acquitted the defendant. Courts granted compensation to only two victims, in 2010 and 2018, but did not yet disburse compensation to the victims.

The government maintained prevention efforts.

The national coordinator led the ONAC and overall anti-trafficking efforts; however, observers reported an absence of coordination efforts by the national coordinator and ONAC. The State Committee against Trafficking in Persons, composed of relevant ministry representatives, was responsible for monitoring and implementing various anti-trafficking efforts; the State Committee has not met since 2021. The government drafted and adopted a 2024-2025 NAP and allocated 283.8 million leks ($3,023,980) for its implementation. Twelve regional anti-trafficking committees, comprising local officials and NGOs, worked on local victim assistance and referral mechanisms. The Advisory Board of Victims of Trafficking consisted of three survivors who provided recommendations on anti-trafficking policy, including the 2024-2025 NAP. The government, independently and in cooperation with NGOs and international organizations, conducted awareness campaigns for students and the public. The government maintained an anti-trafficking hotline; the hotline received 52 calls in 2024, but the government did not report if any of these calls resulted in the identification of potential trafficking victims or referrals to law enforcement. The government maintained a legal framework for regulating and licensing private sector employers and recruitment agencies, including prohibiting worker-paid recruitment fees. Labor inspectors conducted some routine inspections of worksites and recruitment agencies but did not identify any potential trafficking crimes. Labor inspectors did not have authority to inspect informal work activities, including unregistered businesses, where trafficking vulnerabilities persisted. Law on public procurement disqualified companies – including administrative personnel, leadership, or supervisory bodies – convicted of trafficking or exploitation of children from competition for public contracts. The government made efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts by investigating purchasers of commercial sex.

Trafficking affects all communities. This section summarizes government and civil society reporting on the nature and scope of trafficking over the past five years. Human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Albania, and traffickers exploit victims from Albania abroad. Traffickers exploit Albanian women and children in sex trafficking and forced labor in the country, especially during tourist season. Traffickers use false promises, such as marriage or employment offers, to recruit victims and then subsequently exploit them in sex trafficking. Traffickers commonly force children to beg or perform other types of compelled labor, such as selling small items, and force children into criminality, including burglary and narcotics distribution. Traffickers exploit Albanian children, mainly from the Romani and Balkan-Egyptian communities, for seasonal work and forced begging. NGOs report traffickers force children into selling narcotics at schools. Traffickers use social media to recruit potential victims and advertise commercial sex through mobile phone applications and online platforms. Experts report children with mental and physical disabilities were increasingly vulnerable to trafficking. In 2024, traffickers exploited foreign victims in sex trafficking and labor trafficking in construction from Afghanistan, Belarus, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Egypt, Kosovo, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Traffickers also exploit foreign victims from Sri Lanka and Greece in sex trafficking. Traffickers exploit Albanian victims in sex trafficking across Europe, particularly in Belgium, Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and France. Albanian migrants who seek employment in Western Europe are vulnerable to forced labor, including forced criminality, particularly in the UK. Migrants, asylum-seekers, and refugees traveling, being smuggled, or voluntarily resettled in Albania, particularly women and unaccompanied children, are vulnerable to trafficking.