The Turkish cargo ship 'Moliva', which transported to Durres the metal waste suspected of being toxic, leaved this Saturday morning after unloaded its cargo in Albania’s main port, Durrës.

After this procedure, the Prosecutor’s Office can investigate its contents. Some 2,100 tons of waste in 102 containers were unloaded.

The containers were taken by the Agency of the seized assets. 

The vessel’s cargo was returned to Albania following a complex international voyage. Originally shipped from Durres in July, the waste — allegedly toxic dust from metallurgical plants — was rejected by Thailand following advocacy group Basel Action Network’s (BAN) warnings. The waste, reportedly containing harmful metal residues, was marked by BAN as potentially hazardous, sparking Albania's latest environmental and political scandal.

This week, Albanian prosecutors seized the cargo, part of an investigation into potential violations, including smuggling restricted goods and environmental contamination. Despite this, the ship remains stationed a kilometer offshore, waiting for a secure location for inspection and storage. Authorities stress the need for rigorous environmental precautions before the containers can be safely unloaded.

Several analysts speaking to Albanian media have expressed concern that the materials did not originate in Albania, but that the county is being used as a point of waste trafficking.