Popular singer arrested for illegal drugs and weapons

A popular act on the Greek nightclub circuit, Notis Sfakianis, is due to face a magistrate on Monday on drugs and weapons charges, following his arrest in southern Athens on Sunday night.

Sfakianakis was arrested shortly after 8 p.m. in the southern Athens suburb of Elliniko by police officers who found an unlicensed pistol and cocaine in his possession during a routine check for compliance with coronavirus restrictions on motorists.

Officers flagged his car down on Vouliagmenis Avenue and reportedly found the illegal weapon and drugs, as well as a taser, during an inspection of the vehicle.

What prompted the search was not clear, however, as local media reports indicated that Sfakianakis was not found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of his arrest, was in compliance with lockdown measures and had not engaged any kind of verbal or physical altercation with the inspecting officers.

Sfakianakis rose to fame in the 1990s and became a controversial pop culture figure more recently after openly expressing support for the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party.