The 16 people arrested for involvement in the “Crete gang”, which was dismantled yesterday, following a large-scale coordinated operation carried out by the Heraklion Sub-Directorate for the Investigation and Detection of Crimes, in areas of the municipalities of Heraklion, Malevizi, Hersonissos, Mylopotamos and Agios Nikolaos, will be brought before the Heraklion prosecutor on serious charges today.

As announced by the police, these are two criminal groups that were mainly active in drug trafficking (cocaine and cannabis) and in which three families were mainly involved, with a 21-year-old man, who was allegedly the main drug supplier of one criminal group, but also played an active role in the second.

The activities of the two groups have been traced since the beginning of the year, with the main drug trafficking areas in the municipalities of Heraklion and Malevizi.

In parallel with the drug investigation, a case of fraud involving subsidies through OPEKEPE was detected.

A total of 77 people are included in the case file, of which 16 were arrested and charged with criminal organisation, violation of laws on drugs, weapons, antiquities and fraud on grants.

In the operation to end their activities, which took place yesterday, Thursday, May 21, 2026, after months of methodical investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, in addition to the Heraklion Sub-Division for the Prosecution and Detection of Crimes, dozens of police officers from the O.P.K.E., T.E.K.A.M. Crete, Police Operations Departments of Crete, the Rethymnon Police Department, as well as support platoons of the Heraklion and Rethymnon Police Directorates.

The investigation by the Heraklion Narcotics Department revealed that, as regards the first criminal group, its key members used their homes as “covages” on occasion, as well as the surrounding open spaces, where they stored the quantities of drugs they received from the 21-year-old, common member of the two groups.

Thereafter, they took turns using privately owned vehicles as well as a shared business cell phone to accomplish their purpose.

The investigation revealed the involvement of the members in at least 108 purchases and sales of quantities of cocaine and cannabis to different individuals, 33 of which have been identified and are included in the case file.

In relation to the second criminal group, it was found that the common member was the main supplier of drugs to the other two members of the group, while he was also in charge of guiding them to distribute drugs (mainly cocaine) to the end users.

The investigation revealed their involvement in at least 30 quantity purchases and sales to different individuals, of which all 30 have been identified.

It is noted that two related persons of the common member of the criminal organizations, who are included in the case file, assisted him in concealing quantities of cocaine, money, as well as packaging and sharing items.

It is estimated that the expected financial gain from the trafficking of the drugs exceeds 85,000 euros.

At the same time, in the context of the investigation to detect the illegal activity of the above, a case of fraud concerning subsidies through OPEKEPE was detected, in which two of the accused, with the assistance of 8 more defendants, allegedly falsely declared the number of sheep and goats in order to receive and maintain state subsidies for livestock farms.

In particular, as it was discovered, those involved attempted to present as real livestock a number of sheep that they did not own, by organising the transfer of animals from other farmers to flocks, as well as the placement of labels (“tags”) on the animals, with codes of a specific farm, in view of an imminent audit by competent auditors.

In total, according to the announcement of the Hellenic Police, during the operation 26 searches were carried out in homes, flocks, storage areas and vehicles, during which were found – including seized:

* 5,203.8 grams of raw cannabis,

* 112.77 grams of cocaine,

* 33,715 euros,

* 9 assault rifles, weapons of various calibres and a shotgun,

* 128 cartridges of various calibres,

* 3 samurai swords and 2 knives,

* 6 scales,

* 6 firecrackers and batons,

* 2 walkie-talkies and 13 mobile phones,

* 12 cars, and a two-wheeled motorcycle.

In addition, clay objects and parts of vases were seized, which will be sent to the relevant Ephorate of Antiquities in order to examine whether they fall under the legislation on the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage.

The seized quantities of drugs, seized weapons and other objects will be sent to the relevant services for laboratory tests.