After a major operation in various areas of Crete, in the presence of judicial officers, the Greek Police managed to dismantle a criminal organisation with extensive activity from its members in drug trafficking, arms trafficking, extortion and money laundering.
A total of 48 people were arrested, 12 of whom are already in prison serving sentences for drug and weapons cases.
However, the vast majority of those arrested have also been involved in similar crimes in the past.
Meanwhile, according to information from police sources, the participation of other individuals in the case is being examined, a development that is expected to lead to new arrests.
Among those arrested are businessmen, a police officer, two military personnel, and a clergyman.
Specifically, the police officer is alleged to have provided information to members of the organisation about the activities of the Hellenic Police, while the two Armed Forces officers appear to be involved in drug trafficking.
The clergyman is alleged to have been involved in blackmail, while the authorities are also investigating the sale of Church land to private individuals.
Two brothers, who are well known by the authorities, are believed to have played a leading role in the organisation. They own a large tourist unit in the area while they also own two beach bars and other shops.
During the operation, quantities of cocaine, cannabis, pistols, combat rifles and vehicles were located and confiscated.
The tangle of the case began to unravel after a fatal traffic accident that occurred last January in Souda, in which a 22-year-old man was killed.
The incorrect handling of the incident from the police officers of the Chania Department, combined with the inadequate investigation that followed a bomb attack on a police officer’s house, led to their dismissal and replacement by officers from Attica, who had no relationships, contacts or acquaintances with people in the local community.
The police officers from Attica who arrived on the island immediately began their investigations, under extreme secrecy, while at the same time they began monitoring the members of the criminal organisation via telephone wiretaps.
Crucial to the dismantling of the organisation was the contribution of two undercover police officers, who began working in June in the operations of the organisation’s members, and managed to extract important information about the way the organisation operated, while also significantly assisting in “mapping” all its members.
The arrested were taken to the Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, from whom they requested and received a deadline to apologize.
Their defence will continue on Thursday morning local time (4/9), gradually for 30 of the 48 people arrested.
On Monday afternoon, the first defendants arrived at the Chania Courthouse, where tensions ran high.
Upon their arrival, as reported by “Proto Thema”, several of the defendants reacted to their arrest, stating that this was “yet another false criminal organisation”.
At the same time, relatives and friends of the defendants had gathered outside the Palace from early in the morning to express their support.
According to Greek media, the Chania Security Department’s case file reveals that the organisation’s turnover reached three million euros.
Of these, approximately 1.1 million came from drug trafficking, while the remaining 1.5 million were linked to other activities, mainly through hotels and beach bars that functioned as storefronts.
The largest amounts ended up in the hands of two businessmen brothers, who allegedly played the role of ringleaders.
NORTHERN GREECE
According to the Greek Police, an international criminal organization whose members were involved in the transport of large quantities of drugs, mainly cocaine, to European countries has also been dismantled.
In simultaneous police operations, five members of the organisation were arrested in areas of Northern Greece and Germany.
The dismantling of the criminal organization was achieved through international police cooperation with the German authorities, following the use of information provided by the DEA Office of the US Embassy in Athens.
Investigations carried out in Greece and Germany, among other places, led to the discovery and seizure of more than 300 kilograms of cocaine, a private vehicle, and 38,980 euros in cash.
The illegal financial benefit obtained by the members of the organisation exceeds the amount of five million euros.
More specifically:
“Two Greek nationals, aged 52 and 62, were arrested, while in Germany a Greek national and two foreign nationals, aged 66, 28, and 27, respectively, were arrested and charged.
In addition, the case file includes two other individuals, aged 53 and 57, as well as other individuals whose identities have not yet been identified.
As the investigation revealed, the perpetrators had established a large-scale, operationally structured and continuously active criminal organisation, with distinct roles, with the aim of further trafficking drugs, mainly to European countries, in order to obtain illegal financial gain.
In terms of its modus operandi, the members of the criminal organisation used international transport trucks, either transporting legal merchandise to cover up and legalise their passage to Spain, in order to receive the quantities of drugs there, or using specially designed hiding places in these trucks.
The trucks were mainly registered in Bulgaria, to companies with Greek interests, with drivers of Greek or Bulgarian nationality.
In total, investigations carried out in Greece and Germany led to the discovery and seizure of: 300 kg of cocaine, 31.03 grams of cocaine, 19.4 grams of unprocessed cannabis, two electronic precision scales, a mobile phone, four mobile phone packaging boxes, a private car, and 38,980 euros in cash.
The arrested individuals were taken to the competent prosecuting authority and referred to an investigating judge.”
