A significant blow to the drug circles is the detection by the Greek authorities of a large quantity of cocaine in containers with frozen shrimps in the port of Piraeus.

The route of the containers had started from Latin America, while the destination of the drugs was Albania. From there it is estimated that they would be channeled into Central and Northern Europe. 

A total of four people have been arrested, two Greeks and two Albanians . Among the latter two is the 48-year-old "brain" of the ring, against whom an arrest warrant is pending for his involvement in an earlier drug case, as in 2017 he was accused of participating in a ring that manufactured Captagon ("jihadist pills") in secret workshop in Nea Peramo. 

The one Greek arrested , who has served a prison sentence in the USA and is allegedly linked to the Colombian terrorist organization FARC, is said to have a key role.

The announcement of EL.AS.:

A transnational criminal organization whose members were active in the trafficking of significant quantities of cocaine from Latin America was dismantled by the Narcotics Prosecution Sub-Directorate of the Attica Security Directorate. They were transported by sea and hidden in containers for their further import and circulation in European countries, including our country, in order to obtain large amounts of illegal profits.

To deconstruct the criminal organization, cooperation was developed with the DEA Office of the US Embassy in Athens, the Special Repressive Anti-Terrorist Unit of the Directorate of Special Police Forces and the Narcotics Prosecution Department of the 3rd Customs of Piraeus, with the assistance of the Narcotics and Weapons Prosecution Department of the SDOE and the Directorate of Prosecution of Drugs & Smuggling of the Coast Guard - Hellenic Coast Guard.

It was preceded by a multi-month investigation where, through appropriate utilization, analysis and cross-checking of information and data and other investigative methods, it was possible to identify and verify the action of the members of the organization.

At the same time, the business structure and professional infrastructure that they possessed emerged, which ensured their uninterrupted criminal activity over time, specifically the transportation and trafficking of large quantities of cocaine, from which they obtained enormous illegal income exceeding -€5,000,000-.

At the same time, the role of each of the members of the organization was specified, as follows:

• 48 years old, had taken over the management and direction of the criminal organization and specifically the finding of the trafficked quantities of drugs, the financing of the purchase and the transport, the organization of the shipment of the drugs from Latin America, as well as the hiding of the drugs in containers with direction the country and their further movement,
• 36 years old, had undertaken to find and recruit other members,
• 64 years old, communicated with other members of the organization who were based abroad to coordinate the procurement and financing of the quantities to be trafficked and
• 54-year-old, was tasked with operational coverage and protection of the 48-year-old, taking appropriate measures to avoid his arrest.

To put an end to their action, a police operation was carried out in the morning hours yesterday, Wednesday 22/05/2024, during which the 48-year-old was located and in his possession were found for the purpose of further trafficking -180- improvised nylon packages containing cocaine, totaling of a combined weight of -210- kilograms and -300- grams.

In searches carried out in homes and vehicles, the following were additionally found and seized:

• cocaine with a total weight of -510- grams,
• raw cannabis weighing -1.5- grams,
• the sums of -€131,675- and -30- British pounds,
• pistol with a magazine of fifteen (15) rounds,
• -37- cartridges of 9 mm and -3- cartridges of 7.65 mm,
• scale,
• -2- motorcycles,
• -17- mobile telephone devices,
• memory card (usb device),
• -3- electronic devices for geographic location (GPS tracker),
• container closure seal and
• many pages of handwritten notes.

It is noted that a 20-year prison sentence and a fine were pending against the 48-year-old leading member, as in 2017 he had been accused of being responsible for the installation and operation of a laboratory for the production of synthetic drug tablets, where over 634,000 CAPTAGON tablets had been found and confiscated.

Also, the 64-year-old had served a prison sentence in the US for his involvement in a case of transporting arms from Europe.

Investigations are continuing to ascertain the full scope of the criminal organization's illegal activities and any connections it may have with other similar networks, as well as the identification of other members.

Those arrested are taken to the competent prosecuting authority.