A senior financial crimes squad (SDOE) investigator, senior bank executives, lawyers, police officers, a journalist at a state-run TV channel, a tax bureau employee, a doctor, local businessmen and even a former football player are amongst the 53 people arrested this week in northern Greece as part of a major police operation against organised crime, according to Athens News Agency.
Police on Thursday said they uncovered four extortion, loan-shark, fraud and money-laundering rings that are allegedly intertwined.
The probe is linked with the suicide of a 45-year-old local businessman last June, as well as the attempted suicide of a 58-year-old insurance agent last October. According to authorities, individuals who borrowed money from the loan-shark racket were charged up to 80 percent interest on the loans they received in case payment was overdue.
Authorities said the rings made off with as much as 43.5 million euros, based on evidence available in a massive 15,000-page-long indictment, including 3,500-page-long transcripts of intercepted cell phone conversations.
Police have arrested the five alleged ring leaders, among them a 58-year-old businessman, a nightclub owner who had run for deputy regional governor in the last local government elections.
The 12-member gang ostensibly headed by the 58-year-old was active since late 2003, with profits between 2004-2011 being laundered via winning lottery tickets and football bets.
A second gang, comprising 13 members, was active since late 2008 and headed by a 53-year-old local businessman, who declared no sources of income in the period 2006-2010. The profits amassed between 2008 and 2010 are estimated at 2.2 million euros.
The third gang was formed in late 2009 and its alleged leader is a 38-year-old local man who had filed no tax statements since 2005. The ring had 14 members, among them, a bank employee, a medical doctor and a prison inmate.
The fourth gang, comprised of 19 members, was formed in late 2001 and was headed by three brothers, a 32-year-old and two 43-year-olds.
The investigation in the houses of the suspects in Thessaloniki and in the regions of Halkidiki and Serres revealed four firearms, two pistols, knives, brass-knuckles, truncheons, cartridges, numerous cheques, private agreements, jewelry and a total of 172,000 euros in cash.
The police investigation into the activities of the four gangs was launched seven months ago following the arrest of a 35-year-old Greek-Syrian last April, suspected of heading an extortion and money laundering racket.
Salonica
20°
