Greek Mafia pushed on the ropes
Names of eight suspects publicized as police intensify search for four still at large
Signaling their determination to step up efforts to catch four of the eight suspects implicated in the Greek Mafia investigation who are still evading arrest, the prosecution authorities disclosed the names of all eight on Thursday.
According to sources privy to the ongoing investigations, the move sends a message to the fugitives that the authorities are committed to the case and determined to fully dismantle the criminal organizations comprising the Greek Mafia.
What’s more, prosecuting authorities have reportedly received information regarding attempts to rebuild these mobster organizations.
Bearing this in mind, authorities want to make clear they are vigilant and that a return to criminal activity by opening a new cycle of blood and settling scores will be very difficult and that the police are “not playing around.”
With the release of the identities of the eight, the prosecuting authorities expect to gather even more information about the wanted persons, their contacts, possible accomplices etc.
Three of the eight suspects are from Georgia, two from Uzbekistan, one each from Russia and Albania, and one Greek national from Thessaloniki.
Police say the criminal organization is responsible for the turf war murders of Yannis Skaftouros in Viotia in April 2022, the murders of Vassilis Roubetis and Dionysis Mouzakitis in Korydallos in June 2023, and an attempted homicide a few weeks later in Pieria of a man from Uzbekistan. It is also responsible for arson at a gas station in Aspropyrgos and at a warehouse where tobacco manufacturing machinery was destroyed.
Skaftouros was one of the key executives of the Greek Mafia and, according to the Hellenic Police, he was the right hand of the Greek Mafia’s boss of bosses, Vasilis Stefanakos, who was murdered in 2018, as well as a close associate of Panagiotis Vlastos.
All eight appear to be involved in the murder of Roubetis and his son-in-law Mouzakitis. Roubetis, who was a “henchman” of Stefanakos and Skaftouros, had killed a 22-year-old Panathinaikos fan in 2007. He was convicted of first-degree murder, but was not sent to prison. The trial in the second degree had been determined at the Mixed Jury Court of Appeal of Nafplio in June 19, 2023.
Police were gathering information about the two murders and made arrests in January.
