Greek Authorities Targeting Deep-Seated Corruption Within Public Institutions

From January through May, the Internal Affairs Unit investigated 23 cases, five of which were directly linked to organized criminal networks. These efforts led to the arrest of 80 individuals, including 37 public officials. Authorities also seized more than €6 million in cash, 105 gold sovereigns, 21 gold coins, a gold ingot, 21 firearms, large quantities of narcotics and sedatives, and 19 vehicles—pointing to the significant financial and logistical scale of the crimes involved.

Minister Chrysochoidis underscored the government’s ongoing commitment to tackling corruption, particularly when it facilitates or stems from organized crime. “Corruption and breach of duty, especially when connected to criminal networks, pose a direct threat to our democracy, our institutions, and our economy,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of international cooperation, referencing a recent case at Piraeus’ Third Customs Office now under investigation with the support of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. The case, he noted, reflects the seriousness and transnational reach of such offenses.

The report also highlighted the work of the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, which handled 243 cases during the same period, 87 of which involved organized criminal groups. The Directorate made 580 arrests, including 427 public sector employees. Charges ranged from organized crime and money laundering to bribery, drug trafficking, customs violations, extortion, breach of official secrecy, document forgery, and counterfeiting—indicating the broad and complex nature of the criminal networks under investigation.