Members of the gang in Crete were putting their hands on the fields of third parties in order to collect illegal European subsidies. Authorities arrested three men from the same family for threats, extortion and arson.
For five years, members of the organisation had been blackmailing owners of farmland so they could use it for their own herds, while falsely declaring it to receive subsidies.
According to the ELAS, 40 families have fallen victim to the spiral.
“They went in on a whim, because it’s a place that – so – is blessed in terms of helping and animals, with the greens with all that – so – is with all that it entails. They just found good and peaceful people – so – they found a foothold, they knew what they were doing and who they were addressing and as soon as we refused and in fact we had someone responsible there with animals of common acceptance, they took him out as well with threats,” one of the victims noted, speaking to ANT1.
Officials from the Organized Crime Unit arrested three people. Leading the charge was a 43-year-old man and his two nephews, 39 and 44, who were accused of extortion, assault and acts of revenge on those who refused to submit to their demands.
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