Police officers of the Extortion Prosecution Department of the Thessaloniki Security Directorate proceeded to dismantle a multi-member criminal organization of extortionists from the area of ​​Thessaloniki. The perpetrators in question proceeded to beat the victims, damage and set fire to vehicles, while they also proceeded to a robbery inside a house, in order to prevent people from participating in competitive tenders of Municipalities.

In detail, the announcement of the General Police Directorate of Thessaloniki

Police officers of the Department of Prosecution of Extortionists of the Directorate of Security of Thessaloniki proceeded to dismantle a multi-member criminal organization, when in the context of an intensive and thorough investigation, they identified the action of its members regarding the commission of extortion, armed robbery, arson and damage to foreign property.

With the assistance of police officers from the Crimes against Life and Personal Freedom, Crimes against Property and Crime Prevention – Suppression Departments, yesterday morning (23-02-2024), an operation was organized, during which three of the perpetrators were identified and arrested. At the same time, the details of two more of their accomplices were identified.

These are local men aged 40, 30, 26, 33 and 29, with the last of them already incarcerated in a detention center in the country, who, as the investigation shows, at least since March 2023, united for the performance of the aforementioned illegal acts, with the aim of obtaining an illegal financial benefit.

In particular, the above, with a different composition each time, carried out the threat, the exercise of physical violence, damage to foreign property, robbery with the threat of a firearm and arson, forcing their victims, as the case may be, to refrain from competitive tenders of Municipalities in the Greek territory, but also to pay sums of money to the account of third parties.

In addition, searches were carried out at their homes, during which the following were found and confiscated:

  • 4 mobile phones that they used for their meetings,
  • Pistol with a six-round magazine
  • A knife and
  • 2 vehicles used during the commission of the aforementioned criminal acts.

Those arrested will be taken to the competent Prosecutor.