In a coordinated joint operation on Friday, January 3, 2025, law enforcement agents arrested 11 individuals in Athens and Thessaloniki reportedly linked to a Turkish gang network engaged in illegal activities.
The suspects, 10 Turkish nationals and one Lebanese individual are all facing charges related to violating Greek laws pertaining to illegal weapons and narcotics possession and were taken into custody.
This comes on the heels of a similar operation on December 11, during which authorities seized 49 new firearms and arrested eight Turkish nationals, five of whom were subsequently detained.
Another operation took place on December 27 in Athens and Thessaloniki, resulting in three additional arrests and 20 detentions for questioning.
The investigations are ongoing as Greek authorities intensify their efforts to dismantle organized crime networks involved in the illegal trade of weapons and drugs.
On December 10, two Turkish nationals, 26 and 22, both identified as ethnic Kurds, were formally charged with homicide, a day after they were arrested shortly after gunning down two men and seriously wounding another in broad daylight.
The mob-style slayings in Greece by the members of the Turkish gang occurred in the Ano Glyfada district southeast of Athens, with panic erupting along the streets and shops where the shootings took place.
The deadly incident marked the fourth time in the last 14 months that shootings, all in broad daylight, claimed the lives of Turkish nationals, most identified as ethnic Kurds.
