As part of ongoing efforts to combat organized criminal activity and enhance national security, the Hellenic Police announced this week that it would be setting up a new unit: the Organized Crime Directorate.

The new agency will be headed by Major General Fotis Duitsis while Major General Giorgos Tzimas will serve as the deputy director.

Dubbed the ‘Greek FBI’, the agency’s mission will be to combat significant threats to public safety. It will be handling organized crime, public corruption as well as federal crimes including terrorism and cybercrime, among others. The directorate will work closely with other law enforcement agencies including EYP, Greece’s intelligence agency.

Once the Organized Crime Directorate and its services are finalized, it will move from Police Headquarters (GADA) in central Athens to a new building.

Earlier this year, the increasing number of corruption cases and organized crime incidents prompted Greece’s Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis to announce more stringent measures.