Greek authorities have seized more than 219 kilograms of cannabis with an estimated street value exceeding €750,000, in a major anti-drug operation linked to a trafficking network operating through Athens.

The investigation was led by the security office of the central port authority of Piraeus, which located and confiscated the large quantity of skunk-type cannabis following intelligence indicating that significant drug shipments were being brought into Greece from Spain.

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Drugs Hidden in Cargo Boxes

During inspections at a transport company facility in western Attica, officers discovered 108 plastic packages of cannabis concealed in specially constructed compartments inside two wooden crates. The packages had a gross weight of about 122.8 kilograms.

Further investigation the following day uncovered two additional crates at the same location containing 85 more packages of cannabis, weighing approximately 96.3 kilograms.

In total, authorities confiscated about 219 kilograms of the drug.

Controlled Delivery and Arrests

Under the supervision of the Athens Appeals Prosecutor, authorities carried out coordinated operations in the wider Athens area, including a controlled delivery of the narcotics to identify those involved in the trafficking network.

During the operation, two suspects — a 42-year-old Greek national and a 46-year-old Albanian national — were arrested after arriving with a van at an underground warehouse in Athens to collect the crates containing the drugs.

A search of the storage space uncovered tools used to seal and open cargo boxes, as well as a range of other items linked to the operation. Officers also seized a collapsible police baton and a folding knife from the 42-year-old suspect.

A third suspect, a 58-year-old Greek man, was later arrested in the nearby area of Nikaia, Attica, Greece. Authorities said he had rented out the warehouse used to store the narcotics.

Additional Seizures

Searches carried out during the investigation led to the confiscation of:

  • Three precision scales
  • Two laptop computers
  • A banknote counting machine
  • Twelve mobile phones and nine SIM cards
  • A large number of travel bags used for transport

Police also seized another vehicle, six additional mobile phones and €3,600 in cash as part of the case.

Minister Praises Operation

Following the operation, Greece’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, congratulated the officers involved in a post on social media.

He praised members of the country’s coast guard and anti-drug units for their professionalism and effectiveness in identifying and seizing the shipment, describing the operation as an important success in the fight against drug trafficking.