Greece’s newly formed Organized Crime Unit, dubbed the “Greek FBI,” has secured more than 2,000 arrests and 700 remand detentions in its first 18 months, according to Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis.
Defending the specialized unit during a Skai radio interview, Mr. Chrysochoidis said that the service has delivered vital results for national security and the economy.
He stressed the necessity of shielding the institution from political turnover, warning that strategic security services require long-term institutional continuity rather than standard bureaucratic management.
Mr. Chrysochoidis also highlighted a significant drop in serious crime following unprecedented police deployments inside Roma settlements, citing Gastouni as a key example where 18 officers now maintain daily patrols.
"Heavy policing has curbed serious crime, though broader social intervention is still needed to address poverty," he noted.
Turning to urban safety, the minister announced a massive expansion in traffic enforcement. Weekend alcohol checkpoints in Attica now process up to 45,000 drivers weekly, backed by a traffic police force that has tripled to 600 officers.
Furthermore, 300 new regional cameras will soon activate across Attica to automatically penalize red-light violations.
Addressing the central Athens district of Exarchia, Mr. Chrysochoidis declared that the neighborhood is no longer the lawless enclave of five years ago.
Dismissing concerns over heavy-handed policing, he stated that hundreds of new businesses have moved into the area, confirming that the controversial Strefi Hill redevelopment and new metro station construction will proceed as planned.