A collaboration of Albanian drug cartel members with Greek traffickers and merchants resulted in the creation of a criminal organization that financed, cultivated and trafficked cannabis throughout the country.
The Narcotics and Security Prosecutor's Office of Athens managed to "destroy" the gang, locate the secret plantation in a deep part of Ilia and confiscate almost a ton of hashish, the value of which exceeds 4 million euros.
Through the file discovered by protothema.gr, the entire activity of the district is disclosed.
Leader and members
The organizational structure and roles were clear.
The criminal organization was active in the cultivation of cannabis seedlings in an inaccessible mountainous forest area in Lampia Ilias with the aim of further trafficking quantities of raw cannabis into Greek territory.
- A 30-year-old Albanian man undertook the financing of the cultivation of cannabis seedlings and, in addition, finding the necessary labor, coordination and supply for the cultivation and harvesting of cannabis.
-A 50-year-old Greek undertook financing the establishment and cultivation of hemp seedlings and finding means to facilitate the transportation of labor and supplies to the plantation site.
- A 56-year-old Greek man undertook the supervision and control of the plantation, the supply and cultivation and harvesting of hemp, finding suitable tools and facilitating the transport of labor and supplies to the plantation site as well as the transport and storage of quantities of cannabis for further trafficking.
- The son of the 56-year-old Greek, 26 years old, had taken over the storage of quantities of cannabis for further trafficking.
-A 49-year-old citizen had undertaken the monitoring of the facility and taking precautionary measures.
-The remaining five people, all Albanian citizens, undertook the cultivation of cannabis seedlings and its harvesting.
scourge
The major operation was carried out in three different locations.
"From the early hours of the morning of October 24, 2022, in order to break up the criminal gang and prevent the spread of narcotics in the illegal market, a large-scale organized police operation of the Deputy Director of Narcotics Prosecution took place in three different".
At 10:30 on an unnamed street in Tragana, Fthiotida Prefecture, the Greek detainee was caught possessing on behalf of other members of the criminal organization for the purpose of further trafficking three nylon packages of raw cannabis with a total weight gross 322 grams.
At 14:30 on the street "Kanari" in Artemisa Atika, two of the members of the organization were caught jointly and on behalf of the other members of the organization, in possession of three black backpacks with 23 nylon packages of raw cannabis weighing total 21 kg.
Finally at 17:00 in a wooded area in Lampia Ilias a plantation of cannabis seedlings was discovered. The police found at least 670 cannabis plants with a height of 40 to 250 centimeters, carefully cultivated for the purpose of sale, as well as raw hemp weighing 920 kg for the purpose of further trafficking.
Method of action
The Greek police describe the modus operandi of the criminal organization:
"The authors have followed a specific methodology of action. Such as choosing the location in a difficult mountainous forest area and arranging the plantation to make it difficult and unclear to find it."
The construction of a structure, which they use as a plant dryer. The selection of a house in Artemisa Attica as a place to store quantities of cannabis with the aim of distributing the quantities in the wider area of Attica.
The use of rental vehicles for the transport of personnel and suitable cultivation materials to avoid identifying the identity details of the members involved.
Cooperation with a resident of the area and assignment of surveillance of the cultivation and informing of a criminal organization in case of approach to the pursuit bodies.
From the investigations of the authorities, 670 cannabis plants, cannabis weighing 941 kg and 322 grams, two cars, 21 mobile devices and cash were seized.