Three arrested for extortion over municipal contracts
Three men in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, were arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of blackmailing a businessman so he would not bid in a local government tender.
The suspects are accused of torching the businessman’s car and damaging his private property. They also face charges for an armed robbery.
One of them is also a businessman who had won a €280,000 contract for providing lifeguard services at beaches in eastern Thessaloniki. According to the case file, the 40-year-old threatened his competitor to not challenge the tender but to also not pursue another upcoming one.
According to police, the 40-year-old is suspected of being the ringleader of the racket.
An additional member of the suspected gang, aged 29, is already in prison for crimes seemingly unrelated to this case.
The suspects have denied the charges.
