Drug trafficking networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, new psychoactive substances are proliferating, and criminal organizations are rapidly adapting to changing conditions, according to Deputy Police Director Giannis Karydakos, head of the Narcotics Enforcement Subdivision within Greece’s Directorate for Combating Organized Crime.
Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Karydakos outlined how both the drug market and law enforcement challenges are evolving.
Hundreds of Cases, Major Seizures
According to the subdivision’s data, from October 2024 to the present, authorities havee investigated 323 drug trafficking cases and made 646 arrests.
During the same period, police seized:
- 1.8 tonnes of cocaine
- 5.2 tonnes of cannabis
- 174.5 kg of processed cannabis
- 135.2 kg of heroin
- 9,251 cannabis plants
- 18,265 ecstasy tablets
Criminal Networks Constantly Adapt
“The networks trafficking narcotics are constantly changing,” Karydakos said, noting that criminal organizations continuously alter their structure and operating methods in response to law enforcement pressure, technological advances and changing consumer demand.
One of the most notable developments in recent years has been the growing use of online communication platforms and the shipment of drugs through postal and courier services. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, parcel delivery has become “a new modus operandi” for traffickers.
New Routes and Entry Points
Karydakos also referred to the “waterbed effect”—the phenomenon whereby cracking down on one trafficking route simply shifts criminal activity elsewhere.
Large drug seizures at major ports such as Piraeus and Thessaloniki, he explained, have prompted traffickers to seek alternative entry points into Greece and Europe.
Cannabis and cocaine remain the country’s dominant illicit drugs, while heroin continues to decline in prevalence, although it has by no means disappeared from police investigations.
Rise of New Synthetic Drugs
The dominance of cocaine is reflected in the 1.8 tonnes seized in Greece, a trend Karydakos attributes to abundant global supply and evolving international trafficking routes.
He also pointed to the rise of synthetic cannabinoids, some of which had been sold legally until legislation that came into force on May 20 banned their retail sale because of emerging public health concerns.
Cannabinoids were increasingly being added to products- even legal cannabis- to increase their potency and THC content.
While recreational cannabis remains illegal in Greece, medical cannabis is available by prescription and industrial hemp is legally cultivated under regulated conditions. The recent legislative change targeted certain synthetic cannabinoid products that had previously been sold through a legal grey area.
Karydakos also highlighted the growing presence of “pink cocaine”—a synthetic recreational drug that often contains mixtures of substances rather than cocaine—as well as ketamine, which he believes is increasingly replacing heroin.
Drug Products Are Changing Too
Authorities are also encountering new forms of drug consumption.
Products such as THC-infused butter and vaping liquids containing liquid THC, once considered unusual, are becoming more common.
These products are easier to transport, more discreet to use and particularly attractive to certain groups of users.
Greece: Both Transit and Destination
Asked whether Greece is primarily a destination or a transit country for narcotics, Karydakos said it is both—but remains primarily a transit hub, especially for cannabis and cocaine.
Greece’s strategic geographic location and extensive coastline make it an important gateway for international drug trafficking.
Technology has also transformed criminal operations. Encrypted messaging platforms and secure communications applications make investigations significantly more difficult, although the dismantling of several international encrypted networks in recent years has provided valuable intelligence on how these organizations operate.
Message to Young People
Marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Karydakos delivered a clear warning to young people.
“There is no such thing as a ‘good’ drug or a ‘bad’ drug.”
He stressed that all drugs can lead to addiction and cause serious consequences for users’ health and lives.
Source: Ta Nea
