OSE workers linked to racket that defrauded millions

Eight employees of the Hellenic Railways Organization, many of them high-ranking, are being charged with membership of a criminal racket that defrauded millions of euros from the state body.

Officers of the Financial Police rounded up a total of 19 people over the past few days as part of an investigation into the racket which is believed to have been stealing materials from OSE and to have sold it either as scrap or to have set up tenders to sell it at rock-bottom prices.

According to sources, there were more than 30 members in the gang, many of them members of the Roma community including two owners of scrap metal management companies who are believed to have played a leading role.

Raids on the homes of suspects turned up large sums of cash, believed to be proceeds from the illicit trade.

Citizens' Protection Minister Nikos Toskas, Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis and Financial Police chief Andreas Apostolopoulos were expected to provide more details about the racket during a press conference on Friday.