Murders in Thessaloniki from 2020 solved by police - Human traffickers wanted

An arrest warrant has been issued for the case against a foreigner, who is wanted, among other things, for the offenses of homicide with intent in a calm state of mind and the receipt of third-country nationals from the internal borders with the aim of forwarding them inside the country, from which death occurred.

The case file that was formed includes three additional individuals, two of whom have been identified.

The crime in Efkarpia: The discovery of two bodies in a forest
Regarding the history of the case, in the evening hours of 03-08-2020, police officers from the Lagkada Police Department, in a forest area of ​​Efkarpia, located the bodies of two men, in advanced decomposition. From the investigation at the scene and specifically from the clothing of one of the deceased, a mobile phone, an identity card issued by foreign authorities, as well as the sum of -200- euros were found and confiscated.

From the autopsy that was carried out, the latter's death was attributed to a criminal act, as it occurred as a result of hemorrhagic shock following a wound with a cutting instrument to the anterior cervical region of the neck.

A combined analysis and collection of pre-investigation material followed, where, after collecting, utilizing and evaluating information and data, conducting special investigative operations, examining witnesses, as well as exchanging information through channels through international police cooperation, it was determined that the two men entered Greece illegally from Turkey at the end of July 2020 through the land border of Evros.

As it turned out, one of the defendants had planned and organized their illegal entry, while the defendant against whom the arrest warrant is pending, undertook their illegal transport within the country using a vehicle, which bore license plates that had been reported stolen from an area of ​​Thessaloniki.

The vehicle in question was located by police officers of the aforementioned Police Department on August 29, 2020, abandoned in a rural area in an industrial area in Thessaloniki. From the investigation carried out on it with the assistance of the Criminal Investigations Sub-Directorate of Northern Greece, it was determined that it was the vehicle in which the illegal transport was carried out.

Furthermore, findings found in it were cross-referenced with databases of EUROPOL, INTERPOL, etc. services, through the Directorate of International Police Cooperation, and led to the identification of the person against whom the arrest warrant was issued.

Finally, as it emerged, the vehicle used for the illegal transport was owned by a 31-year-old foreigner, while a 40-year-old foreigner, who had exclusive use, sold it without following the legal transfer formalities, to a network of immigrant smuggling, which operated in Greece.

The preliminary investigation was carried out by the Crimes Against Life and Personal Liberty Office of the Department for the Prosecution of Crimes Against Life and Property of the Sub-Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of Northern Greece.