Europol: International cigarette smuggling ring dismantled with the help of the “Greek FBI” – three arrests in Greece

The Organized Crime Units person successfully dismantled a transgression enactment progressive successful the amerciable accumulation and trafficking of baccy products, arsenic portion of a associated operational enactment (JAD) astatine the European level, nether the auspices of Europol and coordinated by Eurojust.

According to the probe by the Joint Operational Group of the Law Enforcement Authorities from the participating countries, the members of the transgression enactment were residing successful assorted EU countries, including France, Poland, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Greece.

It was revealed that the person of the radical was a Greek nationalist surviving successful a neighboring country, from wherever helium coordinated the activities of the organization.

To place and apprehend the members of the organization, a European Investigation Order was issued by the French authorities, nether which the associated operational enactment took place.

In Greece, investigations were carried retired by the Directorate for the Combat of Organized Crime, specifically by the Subdirectorate for the Combat of Human Trafficking and Goods Smuggling, and the corresponding section of the Northern Greece Subdirectorate for Organized Crime.

During the coordinated constabulary operation, 3 section suspects were arrested connected Tuesday, November 19, 2024, successful Attica and Thessaloniki, based connected related European warrants, for being members of the transnational transgression organization.

During searches conducted astatine 5 residences and a concern bureau successful areas of Thessaloniki and Attica (Nikea, Aspropyrgos, Alimos, and Kallithea), the pursuing items were recovered and seized:

• Mobile phones
• Electronic devices
• Handwritten notes
• Digital information extracted with the assistance of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations
• Storage media
• Cash amounting to €4,505

The arrested individuals were brought earlier the competent Appeals Prosecutor.