Another police officer – the second one – is allegedly involved in the case of illegal Greekizations, through fake identity cards and passports, which was revealed after a months-long investigation by the Internal Affairs Service of the Security Forces of Northern Greece, proceeding in the arrest of seven peoplealleged to be members of the ring.

The criminal organization, according to the “corruptible” of EL.AS, seems to have been active since October 2021, making profits estimated at 210,000 euros.

The second police officer, who is on duty, is included in the case file as it appears that he was involved in a single act violating his official duties and by extension facilitating the action of the alleged criminal organization, in which a retired EL.AS officer is accused and arrested as a member.

The criminal organization, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Citizen Protection, linked to 24 cases of illegal issuance of Greek identity cards and passports, while another 10 are the cases of facilitating the exit of foreigners from the country and issuing fake driver’s license diplomas.

7+5 arrests

The previous 24 hours seven accused were arrested as members of the circuit, as well five other foreigners, who lacked travel documents and for whom the circuit had already proceeded to issue identity cards. He was going to issue the rest of the documents, however this act was interrupted due to the police operation. The five foreigners were released on a prosecutor’s order, but are included in the case file, along with 24 other people.

All the above arrests took place in Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Serres and Drama.

How did the research begin?

Regarding the timing of the investigation of the “corrupt” it was announced that the trigger was given when a citizen addressed the Security Department of Northern Greece, where he applied for the issuance of a passport due to loss. From the macroscopic examination and from the comparison of biometric data, it was established, according to the same announcement, that the applicant did not match the actual owner. At the same time, six more similar cases of issuing identity cards were detected in a period of approximately 2.5 months.

A multi-month and thorough investigation followed, where, following the collection and combined evaluation of information and data, it emerged the formation and operation of an operationally structured and continuously active criminal organization, which was placed in time from October 2021, with the aim of illegally issuing Greek identity cards and passports to interested foreigners – citizens of third countries, as stated in the announcement.

How the circuit worked

The criminal organization consisted of people who happen to be unemployed, without legal professional activity, as well as a retired police officer, who at the time of the crimes was serving in a police service in an area of ​​Northern Greece.

With reference to the mode of action (modus operandi) of the criminal organization, it was established that its members were in contact with “clients”, who either legally entered the Greek territory through statutory checkpoints of the country using their original passports, or illegally in unknown time.

They then proceeded to find the appropriate details of individuals, whose characteristics they simulated with those of the foreigners concerned and who met at least one of the following conditions: they had Greek citizenship but had never issued a Greek identity card, they possessed old-style identity cards, so the difference between the characteristics of their persons would not be particularly noticeable, whether they live permanently in foreign countries or have died abroad, without their death being declared in Greece.

The role of the retired police officer

Subsequently, according to what was announced, the issuing of the identity card was carried out through the retired police officer, who, as the person responsible for receiving supporting documents and issuing identity cards, performed acts or omissions in his duties to ensure the formally correct issuance of the identity card, thus providing the security guarantees required to continue the process.

In fact, the transition of the foreigners concerned took place in the presence of the members of the organization, who presented themselves as witnesses of identity and interpreters, while in the case of the existence of a previous identity card and passport, they always proceeded to declare the loss of these and then request the issuance of new ones (travel documents).

After achieving their goal, the members of the organization facilitated the foreigners in their transportation and finally in their exit from the Greek territory, taking them to an airport of their choice.

Through the action of the organization, the benefiting foreigners acquired Greek citizenship with all the rights it entails, achieved their indefinite residence in the country, the possibility of moving to European Union countries as well as to third countries, as well as the “erasure” of their criminal records, as the majority of them were people with a rich criminal history in their countries.

Characteristic of the flexibility of the members of the organization was that, when for reasons independent of their will the retired police officer was removed from his position, they redefined their course of action by proceeding to the recruitment of new members and seeking the initial issuance of identity cards using a certificate of acquisition of Greek citizenship that belongs to another person and that has not issued its own identity card.

15,000 euros for each identity card

From the preliminary investigation it emerged that each successful issuance of Greek identity cards was priced at 15,000 euros, while the total illegal financial benefit obtained by the organization is estimated at at least 210,000 euros.

During the police operation, searches were carried out in homes and business premises, where a total of 6,000 US dollars (of dubious authenticity), 11,460 euros, 108 third-country passports, 5 police identity cards, numerous photocopies of identity cards and other certificates and five cartridges ( 9mm).

Felony prosecution

The seven arrested were taken to the criminal prosecution prosecutor of Thessaloniki, who charged them with felony criminal charges for directing, forming and joining a criminal organization, false declarations, facilitating exit from the country through speculation, money laundering (and complicity in it), facilitating residence in the country etc. They were referred to apologize to the 2nd regular investigator of Thessaloniki from whom they requested and received a deadline, while they remain in custody.