With bribes – express its main members were contacting public officials blackmail ring who sold “protection” to shopkeepers for hefty fees.
The transaction was in progress few seconds and was carried out in outdoors, so that they appear random, either in inside home where it would be impossible for anyone to see them:
Bathrooms stores or and cars. The circuit also predicted that there would be refrigerators in order to avoid possible “suspicious” people nearby who might witness the bribery.
With “nocturnal” logic
The method of extortion did not differ much from the provisions of nighttime “protection.” In cases where shopkeepers and hoteliers did not agree to join under the “protection” of the organization, their managers threatened that new controls would be carried out on their businesses and that violations would be confirmed to them.
In short, the physical threat violence O materials damage was replaced by the threat of the “law,” as at least the members of the bandits interpreted it.
According to information provided by the police last Sunday, 14 people, including 9 public employees, were arrested in connection with the case. The file also includes 9 employees who were not members of the organization but assisted in its work, without permanent participation.
The structure of the organization is proven anyway multitasking So far we know they are involved in one way or another:
Two year story
As for the circuit’s period of action, there appears to be at least two years of history.
In her statements (to the Mega TV station), the press representative of HEL.AS., Konstantina Dimoglidou, “since April 2024 alone, 47 cases have been identified, while highlighting that the investigation by the Internal Affairs Department will not stop here.
“More than 400 thousand euros were found. It seems that their action will definitely begin from 2023″, he emphasized and continued saying that in many cases the gang did not approach the individuals, but the individuals knew of the existence of the gang and to avoid being fined, they themselves approached the ring to finance it”.
“The situation has reached an impasse,” the central Athens businessman wrote in his complaint in April. He described a woman who introduced herself as Nancy, who tells shopkeepers that he can intercede so that their business is not sealed, but that means compensating them.
The incorruptible members of the Greek police, who acted, discovered a gang composed of several members, consisting of private individuals and public officials, led by a 43-year-old woman from Patras and a 64-year-old man from Athens, who had the key role of guiding the Head of Department of the Municipal Police Station, to act within the organization.
Among those involved in the Ministry of Culture, there is also an architect-engineer who provided services, for approximate remuneration, to owners of shops, hotels and houses who were carrying out works.
Changes in health inspection services
Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias is immediately making radical changes and moves in the health control services of the Attica region, following the arrest of a total of 12 officials, Public Health Supervisors, for their involvement in the extortion network.
Upon notification of the Public Prosecutor’s Office investigation, all 12 people involved were immediately placed on leave. Nine of them worked in the Central Sector’s audit services and three in the corresponding services in the Northern Sector.
Following the recent “sweep” of the Transport Department, the regional governor will also clarify the audit services in the coming days. The aim is to achieve absolute transparency, while at the same time modifying internal procedures will leave no room for criminal behaviour.
Upcoming changes are rolling out in the following three areas:
– Safety valves are established in the operation of control mechanisms, in order to prevent corruption phenomena
– The Internal Audit service of the Region is being strengthened, which is being elevated to the Management of a Department that until now was
– The way secondary health control teams are formed is changing, as the workers who form them will now be determined by drawing lots, the results of which will be announced to them at the last minute.