One more Mafia-style shooting in Greek capital Athens took place late on Friday night. The target, a 42-year-old local businessman with ties to organized crime, survived the shooting as he was driving a bullet-proof Mercedes.
The victim has reportedly ties to organized crime and was held in custody for some time as suspect for the murder of a prominent police journalist.
The incident occurred on a street of Ano Liosia district of north-western Athens, near a gas station owned by the victim around 11 o’ clock at night.
Citing police sources, mediareported that the victim called the anti-racketeering unit to report that he was being followed by individuals on a large-capacity motorcycle as he drove away from the gas station.
Gunfire erupted shortly thereafter, reportedly from a Kalashnikov-type assault rifle, striking the vehicle multiple times.According to TV channel, police found around 50 shell casings at the crime scene.
The man was unharmed due to the armor vehicle he was driving.
State broadcaster ERT reported that the man is known to authorities as a high-ranking figure within the so-called “Greek Mafia” and is believed to be cooperating with Russian-speaking criminal networks. He has reportedly been under police scrutiny in the past.
The 42-year-old businessman, nicknamed “Body Builder”, had been accused but acquitted of the murder of investigative journalist Giorgos Karaivazin April 2021 outside his home in south Athens and of boxer Haris Kontogiorgis in Galatsi. He was released from custody in October 2024.
In Korydallos prison, where he was being held, according to the police, he had been beaten by a top-ranking member of the “Greek Mafia” on the orders of “Entik”, the leader of the Russian-speaking cigarette mafia.
Police suggests that the mafia-style assassination attempt on Friday was a retaliatory mafia hit. Authorities are investigating the possibility that the attempted assassination may be connected to the killing down of Giorgos Moschouris in Halandri suburb of northern Athenson April 24 in bright day light. Moschouris is believed to have been one of the last senior figures of the so-called “Greek Mafia.”
PS Mafia-style assassinations are not a rarity in Athens, the hit-men are usually never being caught and it looks as if the political leadership of the Greek police is awaiting that the Mafia-leaders exterminate each other…
