Criminal network dismantled: "Vlahos", "Loundi" and "Mikri" drug trafficking and attempted murders
The Drug Enforcement division of the Greek FBI dismantled a criminal group that used encrypted applications for drug trafficking and attempted murders.
Criminal network dismantled: "Vlahos", "Loundi" and "Mikri" drug trafficking and attempted murders
The Drug Enforcement division of the Greek FBI succeeded in dissolving a criminal group that operated in Greece. The members used nicknames such as "Tony", "Vlahos", "Loundi", "Armando" and "Mikri" and are alleged to have gone so far as to attempt murder in Albania.
The perpetrators communicated via special mobile phone programmes that offered encrypted message exchanges. Foreign authorities managed to breach these systems, record the conversations and transfer the material to Greek services, which subsequently issued arrest warrants.
The programmes used by the criminals had the commercial names "EncroChat" and "Sky ECC". The first was priced at 1,000 euros for the device and 1,500 euros per six months for the subscription. Users were able to exchange written and audio messages, as well as photographs, whilst the messages would self-destruct after a specified period of time.
The case file describes in detail an attempted murder against another person who belonged to a rival group. The motive was revenge for a previous attempted murder against a relative of one of the perpetrators. The perpetrators had obtained a sniper-type military weapon with a scope, which they had placed on a balcony overlooking a square where the victim was accustomed to being, set for a distance of 100 metres. The attack failed as the victim was not found within shooting range.
The investigation was coordinated with authorities in France, the Netherlands and Belgium, with the support of Eurojust and Europol.
Source: CNN Greece
Source: CNN Greece