Six People Shot Dead Near Athens in Mafia-Style Execution

Six individuals were shot dead in a coastal town near Athens, according to Greek police reports on Monday. Greek public television ERT suggested the incident may be related to a conflict between organized criminal factions.

All the victims, identified as men, were discovered both inside and near a vehicle and had sustained gunshot wounds, with at least one handgun suspected to have been used.

The targeted vehicle reportedly bore German license plates. Local media reported the discovery of twenty-five shell casings at the scene and noted that authorities were actively searching for both a car and a motorcycle believed to have been used by the assailants.

Six men shot dead near Athens

Initial reports indicated a possible settling of scores, resulting in six individuals being shot. Of the victims, five were found inside a Ford Focus sedan, which bore license plates with the registration number RR-6666. It was observed that the license plate was affixed with adhesive tape, suggesting it may not have been the vehicle’s actual one.

Authorities are now working to determine the ownership of the Ford Focus through its chassis number, if it has not been falsified. The area was swiftly secured by a police presence, including EMS teams dispatched to the scene, where they confirmed the fatalities.

Λούτσα: Ενέδρα θανάτου έστησαν οι δράστες στους έξι στο ΙΧ – Πλαστές οι πινακίδες του αυτοκινήτου των θυμάτων https://t.co/fPlxcCfDW0

— Protothema.gr (@protothema) September 11, 2023

Previous crime incidents in Greece

Another criminal incident that caused widespread public reaction occurred in Athens in 2021. Two Albanians, aged 41 and 44, were fatally wounded in an execution-style attack at a cafe in Nea Smirni. A man dressed in black and wearing a surgical mask approached the victims’ table and fired several shots at close range.

The 41-year-old victim died at the scene from his injuries, and the 44-year-old man died shortly thereafter. He was taken to a hospital. A woman sitting close by was hit by a stray bullet and received medical attention at the Erythros Stavros Hospital in Athens. Another individual sustained minor injuries while attempting to flee the scene.

One of the victims was reportedly associated with a criminal organization providing “protection” to local businesses, for which he was nicknamed a “collector,” according to law enforcement. There was also information that the victims may have been involved in drug-related activities. The incident is reminiscent of a similar Mafia-style execution in May 2021, in which a former boxer was killed in a drive-by shooting in southern Athens.

Tasos Berdesis, a former Greek champion, was shot multiple times and killed while in a vehicle on Andrea Papandreou Street in Vari. Berdesis had previously won the popular TV reality show Survival Secret and was known for his connections to organized crime figures.