Underage drug dealers in schools: The operation of two gangs in northern Athens suburbs
Police have dismantled groups that sold narcotics to pupils. Members were children aged 12–14 operating under the direction of a 21-year-old. Revealing conversations show how they operated.
Underage drug dealers in schools: The operation of two gangs in northern Athens suburbs
Police forces have dismantled two organised groups that trafficked illegal substances to pupils in the northern suburbs of Athens. The distinctive feature of the case is that the sellers were themselves minors, who had been recruited by a 21-year-old who is alleged to be the leader.
The young dealers approached peers in playgrounds, squares, bus stops and school premises. The children they recruited were aged 12 and above, as the minors could move more freely without raising suspicion.
The investigation revealed conversations that expose the way the groups operated. In one of them, a 14-year-old girl communicates with a dealer after substance consumption and asks for help. The person she is talking to suggests she eat something sweet and drink fluids. In another conversation, members of the group discuss how they beat children who did not obey them to keep them in line.
During the operation, nine people were arrested and two more are being sought. The alleged leader, aged 21, attempted to flee and struck a police officer with his vehicle, causing injury to the lower limb. A new file was opened for attempted manslaughter in connection with this incident.
Police statistics show that arrests of underage dealers aged 12–14 increased by 6 per cent over one year. In 2024, 35 cases were recorded, while in 2025 they reached 40.
Source: ERT