“In the old days, zoos was done almost out of necessity. That is, they stole a couple of kids so they could eat them. But now it has a completely different form. Now it’s entrepreneurship. It is made for business to get them, sell them or consume them in weddings, baptisms, etc. (usually requires two tons of meat). There are many thefts. But there is the omerta. Of the thefts that are made neither in ten, it does not reach the police. They do not speak, they do not complain. They are trying on their own … But the worst is to make the zoom for revenge. To kill the animals for revenge reasons. It is the worst, the toughest, the most uneasy, “tells DW O.

N. is older and knows well how and why the animal is done. For obvious reasons, there are no names and areas mentioned in the report. We are in a small village anyway somewhere in the center of Crete.

The animals according to N. steal them when it has a moon and load them into stolen cars. The farmer’s movements are being watched for days, and the “donor”, someone who knows the victim and the area well, gives information and instructions to where to go by car or from what paths the thieves will cross with the animals. It is impossible to make an animal without the cooperation of a local cooperation that knows well.

The force of the oath

A few kilometers north in another village we meet X. Zokopi victim, twice. It is one of those who have chosen not to address the police and to solve the conflict on his own. “When we go to the police, thieves are furious and take other measures differently and the clay tightens and are forced to handle the issue otherwise. I did not go to the police because I had some of the co -workers, butterflies from that side (the zoos), but who were in the light of me. “

In Crete, it was a matter of honor for the synaps to never lie to you, not to hide the truth. If you asked them and knew, they had to tell you who had stolen the animals and where they were. But the Chiefs of X. But they didn’t tell him the truth when he was suspicious and asked them. But at some point he learned what happened when another synagnos, a friend of the zones, took X. and led him to the church. There he swore to him that he would tell him the names but he had never to betray him.

The oath is sacred in these circles and maybe the only thing they respect. H. kept his word, he did not betray him but took the law into his hands. One night he saw the zones in their car and shot them. They also had weapons. “It was very hard,” he says. In the end, after two years, the “brokers” (people who were appreciated on both sides) came in the middle and made a “sash”. Almost half of the animals returned to him but the financial damage was great. It usually varies to a few tens of thousands of euros. In some cases, the animals call on their victims in marriages or baptisms to eat their own animals, and in order to avoid retaliation they seek to become lame. Those fearing retaliation very often accept.

In addition to animals he also maintains a butcher shop, and as he tells us, he has sought from the beginning to make a joke to make more protection: “We had learned in this system, in this model, that we will not tease you, let’s say, on the border, in our pastures … when you are here? I will have a special treatment ‘.’

Prison as a kind of postgraduate…

In Crete, the wider family continues to play an important role, and therefore the “coincidence” is sought. The bigger the family is, the greater its influence. The family must coincide, regardless of whether a member committed an offense.

Animalism and prison even today in some areas are considered a honor. It started in the mountains, during the Turkish occupation when people were very poor and stole out of necessity. Whoever stole then was a worthy and capable patron of his family and a good groom. If he even got a prison for his accomplishment, it was a great honor and the other family members took care of his children and took care of the needs of the home. This is still the case today. When families agree which of the members will take responsibility for the animal to be arrested and condemned, the others assume their own financial and other obligations.

H. reiterates, however, that most victims do not want the police involvement and cites the example of another of his, also a victim of a breeze. He did not find them with the “brokers”. At some point he “blurred his mind” that the animals took him and told his wife to get into the car. She was driving, and he was shooting the houses of the animals through the car. It was finally delivered to the authorities and released a few months ago. “This one has now reached the top, he has reached the end of his career. That is, he has now received all the “diplomas”. How can I tell you? He was good for him. He went up to the hierarchy, he is now on his own the most respected, the greatest, the strongest, “says X.

According to George Papakostantis, Doctor of Social Psychology of Panteion University and a former senior official of the Greek Police (among many other former consultant-priests in the permanent Greek delegation in the EU), but there is no crime of zoos, And today there are many zoos. Dozens or even hundreds of animals are called, mainly sheep with significant financial damage.

The evolution of the zooper and the support of the system

Animalism over the years has evolved. Many of the zones turned to hashish cultivation. And while in the beginning, occupation was not so accepted by the local community, then when the surroundings saw that they were lucrative and the has very easy to get expensive cars and houses, they were convinced.

Indeed, as Mr Papakostantis reports on DW, in some mountain villages they even have gold knobs: “We are talking about such perceptions and generally a wild, completely alienated consumption, mainly with the aim of demonstrating and satisfying a complex that has come to an end. But the smartest – few – some money made massively through illegal activities, invested them in legal activities. And not only that, but with the influence they had become branded businessmen and some have also gained political influence. That is, they also dealt with politics. When you have unlimited money – that is, if you get out of drugs, subsidies, etc. around 500,000 euros a year – I am talking about an amount that is very common for them – obviously after 10 years you will find yourself with five and six tourist villas, you will be in luxury cars and luxury cars.

Later, the has also dealt with cocaine trade: “Those wholesalers who were usually smarter than brutal growers, brought it as a reward in some way and slowly began to put the coca in the crops of growers, Leventia, bravery, power and vitality, coca has passed easily, while heroin did not pass, ”Papakostantis points out.

There are no specific numbers and statistics in this case either, but the increase in seizures by the police testifies to a significant rise.

The conclusion, however, that comes from our numerous discussions is that all of these circuits are maintained by a portion of politicians of almost all parties, which redeem their support with votes. Those politicians who tried to consolidate the system simply, as we were pointed out, were not re -elected. And as Mr. Papakostantis rightly points out: “Always organized crime uses government officials. There will always be some corrupt government officials, politicians, lawyers. “

The question, however, is whether there will once be a political will of a meaningful and multifaceted treatment of crime in Crete (and not only). When will it be finally rendered justice so that the price will not only be paid by the weakest, but indisputable, all those involved in organized crime, and therefore the criminals with the “white collars”.

When will the selective operation of the criminal justice system finally stop?