A Greek court on Thursday ordered six people held in custody pending trial in a sprawling organized crime case in Crete, while releasing nine others, including a police officer, under restrictive conditions.
The decision came after the first day of preliminary hearings for 16 of the 48 suspects arrested last weekend in a massive police crackdown.
Another 17 suspects are scheduled to appear before magistrates on Friday.
Police spokesperson Konstantia Dimoglidou told state broadcaster ERT that more arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
"Based on gathered evidence, 16 people are already incarcerated for offenses tied to this organized crime group," Ms. Dimoglidou noted, referring to suspects held on other charges prior to the recent raids.
The network faces a wide range of charges, including drug trafficking, extortion, bodily harm, and attempted murder. Defense lawyers for the accused have declined to comment.