Ten arrested in Rethymno for criminal organisation involving subsidy fraud and drugs
A police operation in Rethymno led to 10 arrests for livestock subsidy fraud, drug trafficking and thefts. A cannabis plantation, 995 grammes of drugs, 8 vehicles and 18 mobile phones were seized.
Police operation in Rethymno: criminal organisation involved in subsidy fraud, cannabis and thefts
Ten individuals — eight Greeks and two foreign nationals — were arrested in Rethymno on 19 September 2026, following a months-long investigation by the Drug Prosecution Department of the Investigation and Crime Solving Directorate in Rethymno, as reported by Proto Thema.
The charges against those arrested include participation in a criminal organisation, fraud involving livestock subsidies, violations of drug and weapons legislation, tax evasion, theft, damage to other people's property and violations of police regulations concerning livestock theft.
According to an announcement from the authorities, the Greek nationals had organised systematic fraud involving livestock subsidies, while simultaneously trafficking drugs. The illegal profits were channelled into the acquisition of moveable and immoveable property.
The operation involved police officers from many services, including the Special Anti-Terrorism Suppression Unit of Crete and the Crime Prevention and Suppression Teams of Rethymno and Heraklion. Searches were carried out at residences, sheep pens and other locations used by members of the organisation in the Municipality of Mylopotamos.
In a specially prepared space near a sheep pen, a cannabis plantation with eleven seedlings up to three metres in height was discovered. The two foreign nationals were arrested with cannabis in their possession and were residing illegally in the country.
During the searches, a total of 995 grammes of cannabis, a sum of €1,850, three knives, two scales, a large number of invoices and receipts, 18 mobile phones, seven commercial vehicles, one passenger vehicle and one work vehicle were seized.
During inspections at the sheep pens, it was established that the number of sheep and goats was in several cases lower than the number declared in the livestock subsidy declarations. On 30 July 2026, in an earlier inspection, a member of the organisation without their own flock had falsely presented sheep and goats belonging to another member.
Furthermore, members were identified for damage to olive trees and a work vehicle in June 2026, as well as for the theft of a work vehicle on 13 September 2026. The preliminary investigation is being conducted by the Drug Prosecution Department in Rethymno.
Source: Proto Thema