Police bust illicit goods "supermarket" outside University of Economics

Today the 36 arrested will face the investigator to give depositions, while police investigations continue in order to identify more than four foreigners involved. The police needed four months to decode the professional moves of the gang that pushed drugs and smuggled cigarettes, as well as nambrand fakes.

In fact, the involvement of police officers is also being investigated.
It was established that the organized and coordinated action of a group consisting mainly of foreigners, operating on a daily basis, around the Athens University of Economics and Business (ASOEE) was active in trafficking of imitation products of branded companies, smuggled cigarettes, narcotics, digital video and audio discs and sim cards of mobile telephony companies . In the case case, 36 members of this organization were arrested, including four Greek nationals and 32 foreigners. For the same case, four other aliens have been identified and are being sought, while co-accused of the above for the same offenses are at least twenty-five people of different nationalities that are still being sought.

The Police Operation
In the morning hours of December 20 to December 21, coordinated operations were held in Athens and Thessaloniki, after which it was found that at least 70 people (almost exclusively foreigners) were placed around the perimeter of ASOEE, on a daily basis from 8:30 am to 17: 30, selling for a fee or other exchange, to passers by, imitation products (bags-shoes, etc.), smuggled cigarettes and tobacco, etc., while others peddled drugs to groups of drug addicts.

The whole activity consisted of a structured group, with distinct and in some cases alternating roles, as follows:
At least six members, exclusively men, were employed on a day-to-day basis as lookouts, at the intersections of Patission and Heyden, Patission and Derigni and Patission and Antoniadou streets, alternating at the site of surveillance.
At least 20 people, mostly men, were on a daily basis involved in handling imitation products (handbags, wallets, footwear, etc.), SIM cards and other products, the majority of which along Patission Street, in front of the University School .
At least 8 people, exclusively men, on a daily basis, were involved in the sale of smuggled cigarettes, the majority of which were just in front of the main gate of the University School, on Patission Street.
At least 4 people, exclusively men, on a daily basis, were involved in drug trafficking (cannabis, heroin, methamphetamine, etc.) most often at the intersection of Patission and Antoniadou streets.
A characteristic feature of drug trafficking and smuggling cigarettes is that they also took place on Saturdays and Sundays with unabated intensity.

Items seized
In their possession and after investigations carried out in 26 houses and shops, the following were found and confiscated:
More than (5,000) items of imitation products of various branded companies such as watches, bags, clothing, sunglasses, footwear etc.,
more than (5,500) kinds of telephony products, mobile phone chargers, handsfree, mobile phone cases, digital audio and video discs and sim cards of mobile phone companies,
the amount of (40,000) euros, four (4) vehicles. more than (100) "brands", 
a large number of mobile phones and handwritten notes,
small amounts of drugs, mainly heroin and crystalline methamphetamine.