A group of young people have been assaulted and arrested by Greek police, accused of being part of an Albanian mafia network run from prison. Officers from the DIAS team announced today that they arrested two individuals in the Agios Panteleimonas area.
They are a 22-year-old Albanian and a 19-year-old, who according to information were acting on the orders of the Albanian mafia boss, who was involved in the murder of lawyer Michalis Zafeiropoulos in October 2017 and is in Malandrino prison.
The youths were considered suspicious during a patrol and were checked by police. They were found in possession of 61 nylon packages of cannabis, with a total weight of 89 grams, ready for trafficking, as well as 520 euros. A search at the 22-year-old's home, followed by police officers from the Athens Criminal Investigation and Prosecution Sub-Directorate, also found 92 grams of cannabis, two precise electronic scales, and a number of nylon packages. An iron knuckle and a folding knife were also found in the same area, which were confiscated.
It is noted that the imprisoned head of the Albanian mafia is also involved in an extortion case against a company manager in an area of Thessaloniki, for which four arrests were made by Police on April 17.
The Greek Police announcement regarding the incident in Thessaloniki:
The Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of Northern Greece investigated an extortion case against a company manager in an area of Thessaloniki. For the case, 4 individuals were arrested yesterday afternoon, Friday, April 17, 2026, by police officers of the Extortion Prosecutor's Office of the Department for Prosecution of Crimes against Life and Property, one of whom is imprisoned in a Correctional Center.
They were charged with extortion by an accomplice, violence against employees, disobedience, equipping the prisoner with a mobile phone, and violation of weapons legislation.
This was preceded by a complaint from the aforementioned administrator, according to which the prisoner in the Correctional Center, through telephone communication on Thursday, 16-04-2026, extorted the amount of -200,000- euros, under the pretext of false facts and death threats.
Subsequently, in a later communication with another perpetrator, who had taken on the role of "negotiator," the requested amount was reduced to 100,000 euros, expressing new threats against his life. In fact, two individuals, after covering their features, went to his workplace on a two-wheeled motorcycle, where they threatened an employee with the aim of causing terror to their victim.
In this context, a police operation was organized and implemented during which, at a prearranged meeting with 3 of the perpetrators, the predetermined amount of 50,000 euros was handed over. Immediately, the police officers who had set up an ambush intervened and immobilized them, despite the strong resistance they put up with the aim of escaping.
Subsequent physical checks were carried out, during which a pistol with 11 cartridges (one in the chamber), 6 mobile phones, and 2,580 euros were found and confiscated, while the predetermined amount of money was returned to the victim.
At the same time, police officers from the Dorida Police Department of Fokida continued the inspection of the prisoner's pre-trial cell, who refused to comply with the inspection, during which -3- mobile phones and an improvised knife were found and confiscated.
It is noted that three of the arrested, including the prisoner, have been involved in the past, case after case, for similar and other serious acts, such as murders and attempted murders. The arrested persons are being taken to the competent criminal prosecution authority, while the confiscated items will be sent to the Criminal Investigation Sub-Directorate of Northern Greece for laboratory examination.
The ELAS announcement regarding the arrests in Agios Panteleimonas:
On 14-4-2026, at noon in the Agios Panteleimonas area, police officers of the DI.AS./G.A.D.A. Team arrested -2- young people, a 22-year-old foreigner and a 19-year-old Greek citizen, accused of violating legislation on addictive substances and weapons.
Specifically, on 14-4-2026, police officers patrolling the Agios Panteleimonas area considered two young people suspicious and called them for an inspection, during which they were found with 61 nylon packages of cannabis weighing -89- grams, ready for distribution, and the amount of 520 euros.
Subsequently, after an investigation conducted by police officers of the Athens Criminal Investigation and Prosecution Sub-Directorate at the 22-year-old's home, the following were also found and seized:
The arrested were sent to the competent authorities. The Prosecutor's Office.