Albania's modern history is itself an epic of trauma.
The Hoxha Era (1944-1985): Enver Hoxha established an extreme Stalinist regime and Albania became the "North Korea of Europe". 700,000 Bunkers (some say 170,000) were built across the country, each to defend against "imaginary invasions." Declared Albania "the world's first atheist country" and demolished mosques and churches. The secret police (Sigurimi) are everywhere and any smuggling is a crime of death, but the Kasha family does it anyway.
1990-1992 The Iron Curtain collapses: Hoxha's successors are unable to control the situation and people flock to Italy and Greece. The black market economy has exploded, and smuggling of guns, drugs, and people has become the bottom line of survival.
1997 Pyramid Scam and Chaos: The hard-earned money of half the country's population was invested in a pyramid scheme and evaporated overnight. Angry crowds rushed into the arsenal, and more than 650,000 automatic weapons flowed into the civilian population. The government existed in name only, and the country entered a state of anarchy. The Kasha family was wiped out in the winter of this year.
1998-2007 The rise of the gang: The Corey family took advantage of the chaos and used force to annex the territories and passages of small and medium-sized families. Albania became a Balkan criminal hell. The rules of the underground world gradually take shape: Besa no longer binds everyone.
