[REVISION HISTORY]

Antiquities smuggling rings in Greece

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-09 19:26 UTC → 2026-10-11 01:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Greek authorities dismantled two organized crime groups involved in the illegal looting and trafficking of antiquities, primarily in Northern Greece. Following a multi-month investigation by the Sub-directorate for Combating Organized Crime of Northern Greece, police operations were conducted across six prefectures: Kozani, Kavala, Xanthi, Drama, Rhodope, and Evros. Eleven individuals were arrested, including ten locals and one foreign national. Among those detained are the ringleaders of the organizations, one of whom is an active-duty military member. The suspects face charges related to criminal organization, violations of cultural heritage protection laws, and weapons offenses. The investigation revealed that since at least September 2025, the groups conducted illegal excavations, located individuals in possession of archaeological artifacts, and managed the illegal export of cultural goods for sale. A large-scale operation involving 60 police officers revealed that the groups utilized sophisticated equipment to facilitate their activities, including metal detectors, ground-penetrating tools, and all-terrain vehicles. To evade detection and maximize profit, the organizations maintained a network of informants to identify individuals possessing archaeological artifacts for sale and planned their excavations based on site accessibility and the risk of discovery. Recent reports confirm that during the raids, authorities also seized drones, geophysical systems, weapons, and cash.

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