Cocaine smugglers linked to foiled attempt from Peru

The people arrested last week in connection with the shipment of 104 kilos of cocaine from Ecuador to Thessaloniki in a container of bananas had also previously attempted to import 5 tons of cocaine into Greece from Peru, according to the case file opened by the Narcotics Department of Thessaloniki, which handled the case.

More specifically, the consignee of the shipment was a company based in the northern port city, which has been linked to those arrested in connection with the case.

Ten people were arrested on May 9, including the 69-year-old alleged ringleader of the gang. He and his brother had been accused of involvement in a number of serious cases of cigarette and fuel smuggling in Thessaloniki and had been sentenced to several years in prison. Another suspect was also previously involved with military-type inflatable boats doing routes between Greece and Libya in 2020.