TIRANA, September 14/ATA/ Interior Minister Taulant Balla and UK Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick attended the opening ceremony of the DNA reference laboratory at the Scientific Police Institute, which will help fight organized crime in Albania, but also in the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Interior reported that the genetic profiles of the arrested or detained persons received from this laboratory will be added to the national DNA database which has been developed with the assistance of the United Kingdom, providing the Albanian Police and the Justice system with a powerful investigative tool.
Both governments and their law enforcement agencies have a long and successful history of cooperation in this area, as well as in the investigation of criminal cases.
Minister Jenrick’s visit precedes the meeting of the interior ministers within the framework of the Berlin Process in Tirana to discuss illegal immigration, organized crime and cyber security.
“It is a pleasure to host Minister Jenrick before the first historic meeting of the countries that are part of the Berlin Process that takes place in the region. This biometric laboratory is another step in our close cooperation to increase our capacities and ability in this field”, said Minister Balla.
“This new Institute of Public Health structure is another step towards the common goal of governments in the fight against organized crime, improving the testing and analysis of DNA samples. This is the latest example of the close joint work between the UK and Albania which includes the signing of a joint communiqué between our prime ministers in December, which saw a reduction of over 90% in the number of people traveling illegally from Albania to the United Kingdom”, said the British minister./p.s./
