Municipal police officers and public officials accused of being part of a criminal organization that extorted shopkeepers in central Athens will be brought before the investigator tomorrow.
In total, 14 people are involved in the case, who allegedly demanded bribes from shopkeepers to avoid inspections or fines for violations. Their “turnover”. exceeds 700,000 euros per year.
For more than 2.5 months, the Incorruptibles of the Greek Police became their shadow, gathering evidence, which led to their arrest. In the possession of the defendants, among other things, two additional notebooks were found – “fire”. According to the Open report, the alleged leader of the gang had a notebook with her. It lists in detail the stores and the installments that the entrepreneurs are obliged to pay.
According to what the police learned, the money was kept at the home of a relative of the 75-year-old leader. In addition, a 55-year-old man had taken on the role of driver for the 43-year-old man, as well as the role of debt collector.
The documents, testimonies and revelations of professionals: “It’s nothing new, we’ve been experiencing this for years”
Series of photos – documents have come to light from meetings in which envelopes containing thousands of euros were exchanged. Witnesses speak of extortions of tens of thousands of euros, which began during the pandemic period.
“Extortion is not something new to us, it is something we have been experiencing for many years and we see that professionals in the restaurant sector are at the mercy of any control mechanism. And I want to stress that there are not only good public servants, but unfortunately there are also bad ones. And here we have to find safety nets so that they cannot carry out such actions that expose the authorities and on the other hand extort professionals,” stressed Giorgos Kavvathas, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Restaurateurs and Related Professions, speaking today to ERTNews, on the show Conexões. He also stressed that “fear is what keeps people quiet and this happens at too many levels of public administration”.
In turn, Vassilis Polymeropoulos, member of the executive secretariat of ADEDY, said: “Look, it is a sad event and an event that does no honour to anyone, but also civil servants and shopkeepers are part of Greek society, there are good, bad, mediocre and these phenomena are highly condemnable and unfortunately they are under discussion, not that they were initiated or pressured by anyone. Here we have a circuit, this is unprecedented. We have a circuit that is levelled, that has a certain structure, that is divided into three or four public services, something that is rare and that worries us, because it goes against the classical perception”.
Mafia structure led by 43-year-old “Nancy” from Patras
The mastermind behind the gang, which had a mafia-like structure, was a 43-year-old woman from Patras. According to SKAI, she had a relationship with one of the municipal police officers, also of high rank.
According to reports, in the past he tried to sell properties belonging to Banco Nacional, but was also involved in fraud with an insurance company.
Interior Ministry officials involved in the scandal have been suspended
However, by decision of the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni Foreign Ministry officials are immediately suspended, who are accused of participating in the ring. The Greek police sent the ministry a document on “criminally infernal and disciplinarily controllable behaviors”.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Following the document sent today by the Greek Police, which refers to the criminally infernal and disciplinary actions of the Ministry’s employees, by decision of the Minister of Culture, Linas Mendoni,
— Ministry of Culture (@cultureGR) July 9, 2024