Several Greek police officers arrested in connection with a wide-ranging drug trafficking and corruption ring are scheduled to appear before an investigating judge on Wednesday.
The case involves a network that operated in Athens and on the island of Mykonos, with charges extending beyond narcotics to include embezzlement, bribery, and extortion. Investigators report that over 5 million euros moved through the suspects' bank accounts. A key figure is the partner of the alleged ringleader, a police under-lieutenant stationed in Mykonos who allegedly used her bank account for the ring's financial transactions.
She is also accused of accepting bribes from a local entrepreneur to warn him about upcoming inspections. Another arrested officer allegedly paid the ringleader to find out if police were monitoring their phones. The investigation also found that a retired officer used a highly encrypted messaging app, "Sky ECC," to communicate.
The attorney for the alleged ringleader, Ioannis Glykas, told reporters the indictment is based on old messages and that the large sums of money were due to his client's gambling addiction. "The amounts are far from reality," Mr. Glykas said.