A former model and now a priest and youtuber with over 200,000 followers has been arrested for drug trafficking together with another two priests and another five people.
Τhe three priests are reportedly members of the Greek orthodox sect “Old Calendarists” who do not follow the Gregorian calendar but the Julian one.
They used a church in Treis Gefyres district on north-western Athens to temporary store drugs such as cocaine, hashish and cannabis before they distributed it across Greece.
The church in Athens – via ethnos.gr
Authorities believe the group was involved in the distribution of cocaine and raw cannabis across Greece, as well as the illegal transportation of migrants.
During the raids, police seized 2.238 kilograms of cocaine and 9.092 kilograms of raw cannabis.
The drug ring was dismantled after a months-long investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, which made a total of eight arrests, while key members are allegedly two active priests, as well as a third who is already incarcerated in Komotini prison for migrant smuggling.
One of the arrested clergymen, aged 40, also known as a Youtuber (former model), was arrested red-handed in Rhodes while he was . transporting two packages of cocaine to the island, weighing a total of 2,188 grams.
According to the police, the two priests had the role of “transporter” and, taking advantage of their status, allegedly used the church in Treis Gefyres for the temporary storage of drugs. They allegedly received their orders from a 52-year-old woman, who was the gang leader.
The ring also had a second operational arm, which cultivated a cannabis plantation in Reggini, Fthiotida, while a 33-year-old private employee was also arrested in Galatsi in connection with the case.
The 46-year-old priest who calls himself the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece of the Old Calendarists (Παλαιοημερολογίτες) was allegedly a drug transporter and trafficker.
In the last years, he had created the profile of a philanthropist, he was collecting money for the poor and also drug addicts. pictures via newsit.gr
The priest maintained his own channel with recipes on Youtube and in the past worked as a model, a fact that caused his dismissal from the Church of Greece.
Αccording to a state broadcaster ERT report, there were cases when he left the church in his robes and sold drugs to the ring customers. o
According to ERT, another 52-year-old priest who is incarcerated in Komotini prison, was arrested on September 6th for transporting illegal immigrants.
Police investigators estimate that the organization’s illegal profits are over 105,000 euros.
Old Calendarists claim to be True Orthodox Christian and are known to be ultra conservative.
It is so farnot known whether he indeed belong to the Olde Calendarists Church in Greece or whether he was using it a his tool to gain fame and followers.
