Greek Police ‘FBI’ raids Achaia and Ilia, seizes drugs and arrests night‑time crime suspects

On the night of 26 July, a team of about 18 officers from the Greek police’s anti‑extortion unit, known locally as the “FBI”, carried out surprise raids in the coastal towns of Rio, Kastrokampos and Kourouta in the regions of Achaia and Ilia. The operation targeted individuals linked to the so‑called “night war”, a wave of extortion, assaults on nightclub owners, bomb placements and other violent acts.

Police seized significant quantities of cocaine and cannabis and began investigations into alleged racketeering, assaults and the placement of explosive devices. Several violent incidents were linked to the raids: a group of ten attackers assaulted three nightclub owners and beat a shop employee in Rio; a bomb was later placed in an apartment targeting a person from Amalia; three men were beaten in Savalia, leading to the detention of two suspects; and a motorcycle was set on fire.

Security forces in Patras identified eight persons of interest. Although five were initially released, new warrants led to the re‑arrest of six men in Patras and Amalia. The arrests and seizures are part of a broader effort to curb organized criminal activity in the night‑time entertainment sector of western Greece.