A man dubbed the “Greek Escobar” has been arrested and is reportedly expected to be charged as the financier of the vessel carrying a massive cocaine cargo intercepted off the coast of France.
According to sources, the French Navy intercepted the vessel in a raid, leading to the arrest of five crew members (four Greeks and one foreign national). The ship is currently being towed to a French port where the vast shipment—sourced from a Latin American cartel and allegedly paid for by Greek interests—will be officially tallied.
Five arrests have been made in Greece, including the man known as the “Greek Escobar,” who has been implicated in major drug trafficking cases for over two decades. He has not been named.
The vessel, which is under Greek ownership and control, departed weeks ago from the port of Nea Michaniona, and headed for a Latin American port. There, it loaded legal merchandise and cocaine before setting sail for Greece.
The operation was initiated following intelligence received by the Hellenic Drug Enforcement Agency from the US DEA, with the raid and subsequent arrests conducted in cooperation with European law enforcement agencies, particularly those in France.
Related: Greek Police Seize €5.5 Million in Cocaine at Thessaloniki Port, Arrest Three
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