Igoumenitsa: Arrest of lorry driver with 300 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis worth €1.2 million
A 36-year-old Greek lorry driver was arrested at the port of Igoumenitsa with approximately 300 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis hidden in a refrigerated container.
Arrest of lorry driver in Igoumenitsa with 300 kilograms of cannabis from Spain via Italy
Authorities in Igoumenitsa arrested a 36-year-old Greek lorry driver after discovering approximately 300 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis hidden in his vehicle, which had arrived at the port from Ancona, Italy. According to ERT, the operation was carried out following information available to the Drug Prosecution Directorate — known as the "Greek FBI".
The lorry was ostensibly transporting meat from Spain destined for a company in Volos. During inspection of the refrigerated container, authorities discovered pallets with cardboard boxes, within which they found tightly sealed plastic packages containing the drug consignment. A trained sniffer dog from the Port Authority played a decisive role in the detection during the inspection.
The arrested person did not reveal to authorities the exact location in Spain where the cannabis was loaded, nor the final recipient. The loading is reported to have taken place approximately ten days before the discovery. Authorities are examining the possibility that part of the consignment was destined for Turkey via Greece, rather than exclusively for the domestic market.
Based on the wholesale price of hydroponic cannabis — approximately €4,000 per kilogramme — the value of the 300 kilograms is calculated at approximately €1.2 million. The potential profits from further distribution on the retail market would be significantly higher, according to the same information.
Authorities are conducting a detailed investigation into the entire route of the lorry — from Spain, via Italy, to Greece — in order to identify any other individuals involved in the transport and receipt of the consignment.
In parallel, authorities are scrutinising the history of the 36-year-old himself. Restrictive conditions had previously been imposed on him for various offences, including human trafficking, theft and fraud. Among these conditions was a prohibition on leaving the country — which he reportedly violated by travelling to Spain and returning whilst driving the lorry containing the hidden quantity of cannabis.
This is not the first time Greek authorities have discovered drugs of Spanish origin in the ports of western Greece. Similar seizures have been made in the past at both Igoumenitsa and Patras, an issue that is expected to be examined as part of the broader investigation.
Source: ERT