Greek authorities dismantled an international criminal group trafficking cocaine in shipping containers from Latin America to Europe. Two Albanians and two Greeks were arrested after a months-long investigation by Greek authorities in cooperation with the U.S. DEA. More than 462 pounds of cocaine in plastic bags were found and confiscated in containers with shrimp at the port of Piraeus, along with evidence such as money, weapons, mobile phones, and documents referring to drug amounts and expected profits. Authorities estimate that the criminal group aimed for an illegal profit of more than 5 million euros.
The drugs were being transferred from Latin America to European countries and to Turkey, with Greece being used both as a transit point and a destination for the shipments. One Albanian suspect was accused of playing a lead role in the group and had been previously involved in operating a lab in Greece producing Captagon pills. Additionally, one of the Greek nationals had previously been arrested in Costa Rica on a 2012 warrant issued by the United States for smuggling weapons to the now demobilized Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels. The suspects were expected to appear before a prosecutor to face charges related to their involvement in the drug trafficking operation.
Authorities found more than $141,000 in cash, a shotgun, bullets, mobile phones, and documents suggesting drug amounts and expected profits during raids at the suspects’ homes and vehicles. The operation was based on a months-long investigation that resulted in the dismantling of an international criminal group involved in trafficking cocaine. The suspects were part of a larger network that aimed to profit from the illegal drug trade by shipping cocaine from Latin America to Europe through containers with shrimp at the port of Piraeus. The arrests were made as part of ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized crime in the region.
The arrests and seizure of drugs and evidence were part of a coordinated effort between Greek authorities and the U.S. DEA to dismantle an international drug trafficking operation. The suspects were involved in smuggling cocaine from Latin America to Europe and Turkey, with Greece being used as both a transit point and a destination for the shipments. The operation targeted individuals who were part of a criminal network that aimed to profit from the illegal drug trade, with evidence linking the suspects to previous criminal activities involving drug production and arms smuggling to rebel groups in Colombia.
The arrests of two Albanians and two Greeks involved in the international drug trafficking operation highlighted the ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat organized crime and drug smuggling in the region. The suspects were found with a significant amount of cocaine, cash, weapons, and documents related to their illegal activities, providing evidence of their involvement in a larger criminal network. The dismantling of the group and the arrest of the individuals responsible for trafficking cocaine from Latin America to Europe demonstrate the commitment of authorities to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and other illegal activities.
Overall, the arrests of the two Albanians and two Greeks involved in the international drug trafficking operation underscore the importance of international cooperation and coordination in combating organized crime and drug smuggling. The seizure of a large quantity of cocaine, along with cash, weapons, and other evidence, represents a significant blow to the criminal network involved in trafficking drugs from Latin America to Europe through containers at the port of Piraeus. The ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle such criminal organizations demonstrate the commitment of authorities to address the challenges posed by transnational crime and drug trafficking in the region.
