Thessaloniki: They were making synthetic cannabis, sending it to Europe and America

Five arrests, 126,000 euros were confiscated

A criminal group that manufactured large quantities of synthetic cannabis in an illegal laboratory in Thessaloniki was dismantled.

After a major operation by the Greek police that culminated in the last two 24 hours, five people were arrested. It’s about these are four Greeks and one Albanian, aged 29, 35, 58, 39 and 28 years, respectively. The two of them are accused of being the “brains» of the circuit. One would take the orders and the other would prepare the quantities of synthetic cannabis in the laboratory which was housed in roofin the center of Thessaloniki.

The criminal organization it seems sent the narcotics by parcel post and courier to markets in Europe and America, following relevant orders from prospective buyers on a special encrypted messaging platform. Regarding financial transactions, these were done through electronic wallets-cryptocurrencies.

As it became known, the seizure -two months ago in Lithuania- eight postal parcels -from Thessaloniki- which contained synthetic narcotics also mobilized the European prosecuting authorities. Police officers from the General Affairs Department of the Thessaloniki Narcotics Prosecution Sub-Directorate participated in the investigations to unravel the ring, while their Lithuanian colleagues, the EUROPOLas well as US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA of Athens) and employees of the State Chemistry.

In the improvised and well-organized laboratory, as well as in a warehouse, in the area of ​​Triandria, and in other places investigated, the following were found:

• 43 kg and 254 grams of synthetic cannabis in solid form (NPS)
• 6 liters and 28 ml of liquid synthetic cannabis (NPS)
• About 2 kilos of processed cannabis in chocolate form
• 92.2 grams of raw cannabis
• 17 tablets that fall under the provisions of the legislation on addictive substances
• 2 firearms-pistols
• Click-gas gun
• Cartridges
• Non-volatile click-gas cartridges
• 3 cryptocurrency e-wallets
• 11 mobile phones they used for their meetings
• Synthetic drug production laboratory items and equipment and
• 126,220 euros.

ELAS investigations continue to ascertain the full scope of the criminal organization’s illegal activities and any connections with other similar networks, while those arrested were taken to the competent prosecutor for criminal prosecution.