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The police estimate that several million euros, which can not be determined at the moment, represent a loss of income for the Greek state due to the smuggling of gold from the two major circuits dismantled by ELAS. It should be noted that the only value of the seized persons is approximately 2 million euros.
In total, 63 people were arrested for this extreme case and, for the owner of a chain of 51-year-old pawnbrokers, he played a leading role with a Turkish partner. On Tuesday, in particular, simultaneous police operations took place in Athens, Thessaloniki, Alexandroupolis and Volos, which resulted in the arrest of 63 members of two circuits, including 55 nationals and 8 foreigners. More than 22 people were identified and searched for in the file.
Heavy indictment for those arrested
Criminal prosecutions by the prosecutor against those arrested include charges of trafficking in gold and usury. The prosecution for the case of smuggling of gold concerns four crimes and four misdemeanors.
The charges against the arrested people are based on crimes of criminal organization, smuggling, money laundering and usury. In addition, the offenses of violation of the laws on drugs and weapons, the acceptance and disposal of the proceeds of crime and counterfeiting after use.
The accused will be brought to the interrogator, from whom they should be given a deadline to apologize.
How both circuits acted
The preliminary survey revealed the methodology of action of individual members and both groups, as well as their hierarchical structure. Specifically, it was found that two separate criminal organizations, headquartered in the center of Athens and whose network was spreading throughout Greece, were involved in the fraudulent trafficking of gold, mainly in the form of scrap, by committing more offenses related to: avoid the payment of legal taxes and other legal charges when buying, selling, receiving, delivery, trade, holding, storage and illegal export to Turkey.
The quantities of gold came from the amalgamation of the unknown origin of jewelery, books and other valuables in their possession, purchased or pledged, and it would appear that some of these objects were a product of the crime.
Both groups have been active for an unknown time, but for at least two years now, with a corporate structure, that is, a clear division of roles for their members, as well as many other means. technical and financial, in order to maximize economic benefits.
They even carried out illegal transactions, without risk of random checks, because they were generally "legal" because they operated under the guise of legitimate companies that moved daily and had large sums exceeding € 400,000.
The main feature of the organizations was that, thanks to the abundance of their financial means, especially the main members, they financed their members daily, with the aim of buying almost all the gold that the citizens Promoted or sold in related stores with minimal money and gold purchase from any source of irrelevant origin.
The criminal activity was aimed at the smuggling of gold and, in particular, continued and uninterrupted illegal export to Turkey, mainly through tourist buses operating on the Athens-Athens line. Istanbul and vice versa.
A typical case of gold transfer is the arrest of a member of the criminal organization working on a tourist bus in possession of which was seized the money of 12 000 euros, as well as 17 bullion bars. weighing 24.6 kilograms, with an estimated value of around 600 000 euros and a significant amount. gold coin.
In addition, the two criminal organizations worked, with a cover of legitimate businesses, with a similar purpose of illegal activity, thus ensuring coverage and avoidance of the consequences of the law.
The profits from their criminal activities have been legalized through the acquisition of real estate such as the purchase of luxury homes, land, vehicles and boats, business expansion, and so on. through specific processes covering the three stages of legalization required by law, namely laying, layering and embedding. .
In addition, a legitimation is also the fact that they lived a luxurious life.
In their inter-phone communications, members of criminal organizations used coded words and phrases to describe the objects on which they were active, such as:
- Sugar: Gold.
- Yellow: Gold.
- End: 24 carat gold
- A piece of heavy: A kilo of gold.
- Round: British Pounds.
- Girls: Gold Books from England.
- Metal / Iron: Ripped gold in scrap form
- Travelers: Packages containing gold and silver.
- Lines: Thousands of Euro.
- Papers: Money.
The first criminal organization had 130 stock exchanges – a gold market, with a daily action cycle of two organizations of around € 400,000.
The aforementioned criminal organizations acted independently of each other with respect to their constitution and management of their funds, but the actions of each organization were known to the other. In fact, the main members of the organizations had agreed on the purchase price of gold, in order to eliminate competition between them and increase their profits.
Interconnection at the chief level implied the "conclusion of agreements", which were of a fixed nature and allowed criminal organizations to operate simultaneously and simultaneously without the action of a single entity. 39 Influence the other, quite the contrary, according to the purpose of the action, collaborations also existed.
Investigations carried out in the homes and shops used by the parties involved were discovered and confiscated:
- gold plates weighing 30.4 kg worth 545,000 euros,
- plates and pure gold, weighing 6.2 kilos, worth 235,600 euros,
- 513 pounds of silver, worth 220,590 euros,
- 1121 pounds of gold, worth € 330,695,
- 360 pieces of gold,
- 18 precious stones,
- ring with gemstone worth 56 900 euros,
- 2 images of apparent age,
- the amount of EUR 850 000,
- checks worth 60 500 euros,
- 5 firearms, 15 shotguns, 2 airguns, 212 rounds of ammunition and
- little cannabis.
The people arrested, along with the case against them, were taken to the prosecutor's office of the Defamatory Prosecutor of Athens. "
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