Three customs and two police officers were arrested on Thursday in the northern border town of Kukes, accused of abuse of office and contraband.

The arrest of the officers followed the earlier detention of 45-year-old Mal Shahu and his brother, Nadir, 36, who were transporting contraband goods in a van in the town of Kukes near the Kosovo border.

Nadir Shahu worked as a customs officer. An investigation into how the goods entered the country led to the arrest of two of his colleagues and two police officers in the customs post at Morine on the border with Kosovo.

The customs sector has been highlighted in various local and international reports as one of the most corrupt sectors of Albania’s public administration.

The former head of Albania’s customs office, Flamur Gjymushka, is currently under investigation in relation to a number of large oil contraband schemes.

The government has signed a two-year contract with the British company Crown Agents, for €8.5 million, to combat contraband activity and raise tax revenue.

Under the agreement the British company will provide advisory and risk analysis services for Albania’s customs office in order to fight fiscal evasion.

However, the opposition Democratic Party has panned the contract with the company, calling it as an extra burden on Albanian taxpayers./balkaninsight