Greek-Albanian police operation leads to nine drug arrests
A joint operation by Greek and Albanian authorities has led to the arrest of nine men – four in Greece and five in the neighboring Balkan country – suspected of trafficking drugs on a large scale.
Border police on surveillance in Florina, northern Greece spotted four men entering the country through an unmanned crossing on foot and going on to load four large tote bags into the trunk of a car parked nearby. One of the men drove off in car and the other three disappeared into the woods and back over the Albanian border when they realized they had been seen by police. The car was immobilized after a brief chase and searched, revealing more than 84 kilograms of cannabis in the bags. A second car, believed to have been used as a look-out, was stopped on the national highway outside Florina, leading to the arrest of another two suspects. The fourth suspect was traced to a property in the city of Thessaloniki.
Police also seized over 9,800 euros in cash in their search of the two vehicles.
Five other Albanian nationals suspected of being part of the same gang were taken into custody in the neighboring country as part of the same operation.
