After their apologies to the 4th investigator of Thessaloniki, they took the road to prison nine from the ten arrested for cargo 105 kilos of cocaine revealed last week by the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation Thessaloniki.

After a marathon process – which lasted more than 15 hours and ended after midnight -, the investigator and prosecutor decided on the temporary detention of all the accused, except for one who was released.

Criminal proceedings had been brought against them for the acts of directing, forming and joining a criminal organization and the particularly distinguished case of drug trafficking by profession.

Depending on the case, the defendants (seven Greeks, three Albanians) either denied all the acts or accepted their participation in the trafficking, but not in the form attributed to them.

The 68-year-old doctor, alleged to be the mastermind of the ring, did not accept any charges, stressing – according to information – that there is no evidence in the case file to prove his participation in the trafficking of the illegal cargo, while pointing out that he is an “easy target” for the Police due to his past involvement in cigarette and fuel smuggling cases. However, he was not convinced by his claims and was sentenced to pre-trial detention. Unlike the 68-year-old, his 38-year-old son was released.

According to announcements by ELAS, the cargo of 105 kg of cocaine arrived at the port of Thessaloniki, in containers with bananas from Ecuador. It was then transported by truck to a warehouse in Agios Athanasios from where it was removed from inside the containers. Information indicates that the cocaine was hidden on the girders of the containers and was to be trafficked to Greece and other European countries.

According to the Police’s calculations, the quantity of the pure product would bring the circuit profits of at least 2 million euros, while the economic benefits from further trafficking would range from 8 to 11 million euros.