New details have come to light about the roles and codenames surrounding the Lucerne, Switzerland, travel agency through which drug money was transferred to the Balkans.
By Henry Habberger, AARGAUER ZEITUNG
“Write to Burimi, Burimi knows what he needs and I’ll talk to dad”: This is what “Visi” said, in an intercepted phone conversation with a client named Arjan. The latter wanted to discreetly transfer a large amount of money from Switzerland to Albania.
At stake is a criminal group that is suspected of laundering millions of euros in drug money through a travel agency in Lucerne. “Visi” was the coordinator and suspected leader of the Balkan gang.
Albanian media have recently revealed new details about the group, which communicated through encrypted services such as SkyECC. This data completes the picture with codes and nicknames.
“The Pope”
He is a key figure in the structure – and a familiar name in Swiss justice. About 20 years ago, he lived with his family in the Biel region of Switzerland and was convicted of drug trafficking. When Swiss and Albanian investigators launched an investigation into the agency case in Lucerne, they were confronted with his name again.
In Albania, he was considered a cocaine boss and was arrested in Tirana in 2018 in an anti-drug operation, but was quickly released. In the Lucerne structure, “Papi” played a central role in the Hawala system – an informal money transfer system. Through this system, drug proceeds were sent from Switzerland to the Balkans via a travel agency.
“Papi” ran a currency exchange office in Tirana, where this money was paid in. The money, which ended up in Tirana, was often sent by plane from Basel to Pristina and then overland to Albania.
After the arrest of courier Burim, “Papi” is said to have carried out several transports himself. He was in constant contact with “Visin” to coordinate deliveries.
According to investigators, “Papi” was also part of the drug distribution networks from which these criminal proceeds came. Authorities speak of several different channels of the drug trafficking network that generated regular profits. “Papi”’s family members have been active in Switzerland for years, especially in the construction and real estate sectors.
In 2025, “Papi” was arrested in Tirana, while several properties and large sums of money were seized from both him and “Visi”.
“Visi”
The entire structure – both the drug network and the money transfer – was run, according to investigators, by “Visi.” He is the son of a well-known businessman with international connections, especially in the US. His father is considered by some to be the head of the organization, but he himself denies any involvement.
“Visi” was also active in the Hawala system: he ensured that money deposited in Lucerne could be withdrawn in Pristina or Tirana. In one intercepted case, he stated that the system also operated in the opposite direction – from Albania to Switzerland – and that he had around 2 million francs available to pay.
He is also considered the “main coordinator” of several drug networks in Switzerland. Representatives of these networks met regularly and he determined “travel plans, times and order of meetings,” according to the investigation. There was strong organizational discipline within the gang. Part of the network also operated from Grenchen in Switzerland.
“Office”
The gang’s headquarters in Switzerland was a travel agency in Lucerne. It was called “Zyra” within the group. It belonged to a Kosovar businessman and his sons, who are also accused. The family owns several companies in Switzerland, including in the real estate sector.
Drug money was delivered to the “Office”. From Surespot and Signal communications alone, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office has documented deposits of an average of around 60,000 francs per day. More than 40 drug couriers are suspected of having delivered money there.
The fact that the “Office” had a branch run by one of the boys at Basel airport does not seem a coincidence: money from drug activities was often transported by plane to Kosovo.
The gang then moved the money through the Hawala system in the Balkans. The commission was around 6% and was split between “Visit” and “Zyra”.
“Number 4”
When the “Office” was closed, the money could be delivered to “Number 4” – the owner of a cleaning firm in the Lucerne area. He was considered a confidant of “Visit” and his family, and is also accused.
Unlike the others, he has cooperated more with the investigations. Before the Swiss Federal Prosecutor’s Office, he explained the way things worked in Lucerne: “You go there, people get to know each other, you hand over the money; the money I owed them. Then I would write or call them that the money was handed over and that was it.” By “him” he was referring to “Visit”.
“Number 4” collected money from several drug trafficking points for Visit’s organization and brought it to the agency. He also served as Visit’s driver when he was in Switzerland.
“Xeni”
In Pristina, there was the brother of the owner of the agency in Lucerne, who, together with one or two sons, played an important role. He was a key node in the Hawala network from Lucerne to Tirana.
According to investigators, money was regularly withdrawn from “Xeni”, which most likely arrived by plane from Switzerland to Pristina. “Papi” also withdrew money several times at this point to then take it to Tirana.
“Grandson”
This is the previously mentioned Source. As a relative of Visit, he took over the coordination of the Lucerne structure when the latter was absent. He was also often in Lucerne.
The “grandson” is suspected of having transported large sums of money to the Balkans himself on several occasions. Once, border police in Albania found 76,000 francs in his wife’s bag when the couple were returning from Kosovo in a Mercedes.
In an intercepted conversation, Visi said that his nephew had received an “order.” The money had originally been sent from Lucerne.
Processes in Switzerland and Albania
More and more details are emerging, but the agency’s network in Lucerne has not yet been fully revealed, especially the branches in Switzerland.
Both the Special Prosecution Office in Albania and the Federal Prosecution Office in Switzerland are conducting criminal proceedings against several individuals arrested in 2024 and 2025. “Visi” has been in custody in Switzerland since 2024 and is expected to stand trial. “Papi” is in prison in Albania awaiting trial.
The principle of presumption of innocence applies.