Dozens of weapons and thousands of rounds were seized in a massive police operation that dismantled a criminal organization, with Police Special Guards among them.
The ring operated in Crete and Attica since 2007, selling weapons and ammunition. Its members were procuring the firearms from Austria, Germany and the United States and were selling them in Greece.
Two specially trained policemen who guard political persons were among the 18 men arrested, while two more special guards are among another 28 men who are charged with criminal acts, according to the Hellenic Police.
The operation started on Saturday morning and the 18 arrests were made in the areas of Chania and Komotini.
The accused were buying malfunctioning firearms and parts through the internet and they were repairing the weapons or putting them together from spare parts. Then they were selling them at below-market prices.
The leader of the ring was a 31-year-old man who was hiring members and organizing the operation. The decision maker was also buying the guns and the parts and he was reconstructing the weapons along with two other men.
Other than the gunsmiths, the remaining members of the organization had specific duties such as hiding the weapons, mediating, sampling, selling and transferring the illegal merchandise. Others were buying the ammunition legally as members of shooting clubs. For example, a member of the organization was the President of Shooters Association of Crete, and he was supplying the organization with cartridges.
Police found a warehouse, that was also used as a gunsmith workshop, and seized 45 pistols, 9 military rifles, 3 grenades, 22 hunting shotguns, 11 air guns, 22,863 pistol cartridges, 3,444 military rifle cartridges, 65 magazines, 1,637 hunting cartridges, 89 weapons parts, 9 knives, 6 firecrackers, 135 grams of powder and 24 grams of dynamite, 3 wicks, 30 detonators, taser guns, handcuffs, pepper spray and 93 empty shells.
During the investigation it was found that one of the detainees had parallel criminal activities, at least from June 2012 until September 2014, and is suspect of arson, major property damage, and extortion in the Chania area.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
