Laboratory is found where the analysis will be performed
210 tons of waste on the « Moliva » ship that returned from Thailand and are suspected dangerous. The containers that were destined for Thailand returned after the Basel Action Network environmental organization raised the alarm that tons of dangerous waste could be hidden inside them. According to the prosecution, samples for these remains will soon be analyzed.
Durres Prosecutor's reaction
Given some news made public in the online media but also from high interest at the same time, we find it appropriate to inform public opinion on the progress of the investigation of the 102 containers seized by the Prosecutor's Office at the Court of General Jurisdiction, Durres on 28.10.2024.
This Prosecutor's Office, in the framework of criminal proceedings no.1596, 2024, registered for the offenses of “Tugged or Limited Goods”, provided by Article 171 of the Criminal Code, “Transportation of Waste”, provided by Article 201/Bi Criminal Code, and “Abuse of Duty” provided by Article 248 of the Criminal Code.
Initially, in the framework of this proceeding were seized 102 containers, who were transported to Albania with the Moliva XA443A ship arrived at the Port of Durres on 28.10.2024.
Considering suspicions of the risk of substances contained in the material contained in these containers as well as the large volume (102 containers) and the utmost care for respecting all the best international practices during the process of sampling, transporting, conservation and analyzing them, the Durres Prosecutor's Office has officially addressed all ministries, the realization of this complex processes.
In the absence of infrastructure and special tools for conducting the entire chain of processes according to international practices, we have addressed the General Directorate of Accreditation in order to identify private laboratories operating in Albania who have expertise in testing other hazardous substances and meeting a series of general and specific criteria such as:
Be accredited for measuring heavy metals, PAHs, dioxins and PCBs according to international norms;
Have the opportunity to create strong protocols for maintaining an uninterrupted care chain to ensure the integrity of the samples (detailed records for each step, from sampling to analysis);
Have experienced experts in the field of chemical analysis, waste (slag of
metals and ash of power plants; AND
Have laboratories (LIMS) management systems validated for secure data management, traceability and report generation.
Currently, the laboratory that meets and has the infrastructure to guarantee the respect of all international protocols and standards and will soon be processed with sampling and analysis.
Also, we find it appropriate to clarify public opinion that, within this criminal proceeding, Basel Action Network and Mileukontakt Albania, represented by Jim Pucket, addressed the Durres Prosecutor's Office through an email seeking to be questioned as a witness and participate as experts and observers during the sampling and analysis process.
In compliance with the provisions of the criminal procedural law, Mr.Puckett was invited to appear to the Prosecutor's Office of the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction on 04.12.2024 in order to provide evidence and submit the evidence available. Unable to present it physically, Mr. Puckett sent them by e-mail.
The Prosecutor's Office of the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction, Durres has continued intensity and advantage of conducting investigative actions regarding this criminal proceeding and will also continue to inform the public on this issue that carries high public interest.
