Tomorrow morning they will be brought before the Chania investigator, in order to plead guilty to the nine arrested who – according to the case file formed by EL.AS. – had set up a criminal organization proceeding with illegal adoptions and trafficking of babies.

It is recalled that the defendants were brought to the Chania prosecutor’s office at approximately 7 pm on Wednesday.

After a marathon process that lasted about 7 hours they were given a deadline to apologize on Sunday.
Among the charges against them are the formation and membership of a criminal organization, human trafficking, brokering the adoption of a minor by profession, violations of the Medically Assisted Reproduction Act, forgery, disruption of family order, fraud, bodily harm and violation of the law for drugs.

As stated by Michalis Mavros, defense attorney of the main defendant, a 73-year-old doctor, “the case is extremely complex. It is also unprecedented for the region’s data, but possibly also for Greek data. This resulted in a small processing by the prosecution authorities. We have set a deadline for the apology, because the volume of the discography is inconceivable.”

Meanwhile, by decision of the Minister of Health, Michalis Chrysochoidh, the President of the National Authority for Assisted Reproduction is removed from his duties”, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health.

Information indicates that a preliminary investigation has already been ordered into the case of a baby trafficking ring and illegal adoptions in Crete, and the president of the National Authority for Assisted Reproduction, Nikos Vrachnis, has been called to testify without trial for bribery and breach of duty.

The same sources state that as soon as the ministry was informed that there was an ongoing investigation, it removed him from his duties.

It is recalled that with a statement it issued on 9/9, the National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction made public its intervention in the case.

The announcement states the following:

“The National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction as part of its supervisory role is in the process of auditing the operation of the Medically Assisted Reproduction Unit and Cryopreservation Bank in Chania.

In a statement signed by the President of the Unit, Nikolaos Vrachnas, Associate Professor of Fascinating Gynecology, EKPA, in view of the ongoing preliminary investigation regarding the Unit’s activity, he is in contact with the Gynecologist Deputy Scientific Head of the Unit, the Embryologists and the Administrative staff, as well as with the Hellenic Police, in order to take the necessary measures for the preservation of the reproductive material cryopreserved in the Unit, as well as the fulfillment of all ongoing medical procedures”.