Greek police arrest 16 in operations targeting Turkish crime syndicates

Greek police detained 16 suspects in coordinated operations against Turkish crime organizations in Athens and Thessaloniki, following a fatal shooting that claimed the lives of two Turkish nationals earlier this week.

Fatal shooting sparks investigation

The shooting, which occurred Monday in the Glyfada suburb of Athens, is believed to have stemmed from turf wars between rival crime syndicates, according to Greek media reports.

The Greek National Intelligence Service provided information that led to the raids, during which authorities seized 49 firearms and an undisclosed quantity of drugs.

Greek police previously arrested two suspects in connection with Monday’s violence and are actively searching for five more individuals believed to be involved.

Past operations against Turkish crime groups

This is not the first major action against Turkish-linked criminal networks in Greece:

• Drug trafficking network: Last month, police dismantled a drug smuggling ring with connections to Türkiye.
• Previous shootings: In June, a Turkish national was arrested for killing one person and injuring another in a shooting in Piraeus, a port city near Athens.

Greek authorities have ramped up efforts to dismantle organized crime networks linked to Türkiye, particularly those involved in drug trafficking and violent disputes.