An international spiral of trading anabolic and other illegal pharmaceuticals was dismantled by the Economic Police Directorate. About 2.5 million drugs were seized, while the organization’s revenues amount to tens of millions of euros.
During a major police operation, with the participation of a Europol executive, a ring of Moldovans who were illegally manufacturing and trafficking anabolic steroids and other pharmaceutical preparations, in Greece and abroad, were “debunked” in Maroussi and Glyfada.
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It is noted that the proceeds from the illegal activity of the criminal organization, as well as the total value of the confiscated preparations, amount to tens of millions of euros.
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During the police operation that took place on Thursday, September 22, a 35-year-old Moldovan man was arrested, against whom a case file was filed for the offenses of criminal organization, forgery, as well as for violations of the laws on the legalization of proceeds from criminal activities and on the amateur and professional sports.
In the case file that was formed, five of his compatriots, members of the criminal organization, are also included.
How the spiral worked
According to the Directorate of Economic Police, the spiral has been operating since 2015, while its methodology was as follows: Its members had formed two three-member cores, in Attica and Thessaloniki, while they also had other collaborators in Europe, the USA and Asia.
They manufactured the anabolics in three warehouses in Attica and Thessaloniki, while they procured the raw materials from Moldova and Bulgaria, through a travel agency and courier companies.
The drugs were sold through websites managed by members of the organization, as well as through encrypted e-mail addresses. The defendants placed the illegal substances in parcels, with the senders’ details of non-existent persons and companies, while transporting the parcels with the organization’s vehicles and carrying out their shipment through Greek courier companies, declaring false sender’s details.
At the same time, money transfer companies were used for payments, while the “Hawala” payment method was used for the further distribution of criminal proceeds.
2,473,000 pills of anabolic and other pharmaceutical preparations
It is noted that the spiral’s action extended abroad. Specifically, in USA, Britain, Belgium, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Romania, Chile, Moldova, China, Israel, Lebanon, Colombia, Singapore, Ireland and Australia.
In police searches carried out in the two storage areas – preparation rooms, according to ELAS, they found and confiscated: 2,473,000 pieces of illegal anabolic and other pharmaceutical preparations (ampoules – tablets – vials), manufacturing equipment and packaging items, 3 mobile phones, 2 portable computers and lots of portable digital storage media, a car, parcels ready to be shipped, lots of bank documents, proofs of delivery and handwritten notes.
The arrested person, with the case file filed against him, was taken to the competent prosecuting authority and referred to a main interrogation.
