Five police officers have been suspended from service after investigation found evidence that they were involved in criminal organizations. Among them is one senior police officer.
A total of 9 police officers have been involved in the organizations that had a core of 17 people, state-run broadcaster ERT TV reports on Wednesday.
The suspension comes with a decision by the Hellenic Police Headquarters and an internal investigation by the Internal Affairs Department of the security forces.
The criminal organizations were reportedly operating mainly in the prefecture of Kilkis in northern Greece and were active in illegal excavations with the aim to find or reveal ancient objects and treasures, in facilitating migrants to to illegal residence by altering passports as well as in illicit trafficking of tobacco products.
The Internal Affair Dept. was investigating against the 5 police officers for months.
The senior police officer stationed in a city in northern Greece was arrested last Friday, July 3, when he went to his office. Ancient items found in his home were seized. Two more police officers and 7 civilians were arrested as involved in the specific case.
It is noted that case files against a total of 147 people involved in these organization have been formed.
Beginning of the month, another two police officers as well as one officer of the Greek Navy were found to be involved in a criminal organization extorting money by offering “protection” in the south suburbs of Athens, in Piraeus and western Attica. They would use violence to “convince” their victims to pay them monthly. Nine members of the gang were Greeks and one was a foreign national.
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
PLATO