International drug trafficking ring busted by Hellenic Police

The Police Financial Crimes Bureau proceeded to dismantle an international trafficking ring for illegal anabolic steroids and other drugs. In particular, three people were arrested, against whom a case was filed for the crimes of the criminal organization, forgery, as well as for violations of the laws on weapons, for money laundering and for amateur and professional sports.

According to ELAS, the circuit, at least since January 2017, was active in the storage, marketing, distribution, supply and distribution of drugs containing illegal and prohibited anabolic and other substances, dangerous to public health, in order to obtain illegal benefits.

The members of the criminal organization used various places as warehouses of preparations, a gym and a shop selling food supplements for further distribution and counterfeit packages with elements of legal pharmaceutical companies, in which they placed the illegal preparations, as well as fake EO authentic films.

At the same time, they sought to conceal the origin of the proceeds and to legitimize them through third party bank accounts as well as gambling tickets, while declaring to the courier companies false sender information and addresses when sending parcels.

The operation of the circuit was not limited to Greece, but also extended to Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, France, Cyprus, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Malta, the United States, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, where a large number of parcels were located. The supply of preparations and raw materials for their packaging was mainly made by China, Bulgaria and Poland.

Among the clients of the criminal organization, both in Greece and abroad, are 27 athletes of various sports, 10 gymnasts – coaches, 10 owners of gyms – sports venues, an owner of a store selling food supplements and an owner of a pharmacy.

Regarding the dismantling of the ring, it took place in the framework of coordinated and simultaneous police operations, with the assistance of Europol executives, the day before yesterday, Tuesday, January 18, 2022, in Attica, Thessaloniki, Patras, Xanthi, Ioannina and Drama.

In searches of homes, businesses, vehicles and facilities, the following were found and confiscated: 135,000 tablets – ampoules of anabolic steroids and other illicit drugs, 124,620 euros, air pistol and magazine with 9 metal bullets, a set of brass knuckles and a knife, 9 digital storage disk, as well as a large amount of packaging material and a number of handwritten notes.

The income from the illegal activity of the organization exceeds 600,000 euros, while the total value of the confiscated preparations is estimated to exceed the amount of 200,000 euros.

The arrested, with the case file against them, were taken to the competent prosecutor.