ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS IN GREECE (C-CN5-00417)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ATHENS 002545

SIPDIS

FOR INR/I, EUR/SE, EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2015
TAGS: PINR GR INTERNAL
SUBJECT: ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS IN GREECE (C-CN5-00417)

REF: STATE 146246

Classified By: POL OFFICER TOM YAZDGERDI FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D)


1. (C) In response to ref, post provides the following
information on organized crime groups in Greece (keyed to ref
questions):


A. Are there organized crime groups present in the host
country that originated in the following countries: Russia,
Ukraine, Italy, the Balkans (Albania, Serbia, Bosnia),Japan,
Greater China (China, Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan),or West
Africa? What is the extent or nature of their presence?

-- 2004 data received from Greek police authorities detail
the following criminal groups and nature and extent of
activity (in order of importance):

1) Albanian: 25 identified organized crime (OC) groups, 128
identified members, 9 of whom are considered key. Mainly
involved in illegal trafficking in drugs (cannabis, heroin,
cocaine),human trafficking (including of minors),thefts and
robberies. Exhibit the most intense activity of any foreign
OC group. Quite often, these groups resort to violence in
order to achieve their objectives and to maintain structural
cohesion. The activity of these groups is supported by the
large number of Albanian immigrants living and working in
Greece.

2) Turkish: 3 OC groups, 50 identified members, 3 of whom
are considered key. Involved in alien smuggling from Turkey
via the sea to neighboring Greek islands and to the Greek
mainland via the Greek-Turkish land border (Evros River).

3) Bulgarian: 7 OC groups, 49 identified members, 7 of whom
are considered key. Involved in human trafficking (including
trade in infants; in all cases, with the cooperation of the
mother or mother's relatives),counterfeiting and forgery.
Using a very sophisticated methodology, Bulgarian groups
produce in their own country false documents and seals of
public services and then smuggle them to Greece for further
elaboration and exploitation. Regarding counterfeiting,
these groups in cooperation with Greek members import fake
banknotes (50 and 100 euro notes, mainly) into Greece.

4) Egyptian: 8 OC groups, 48 identified members, 10 of whom
are considered key. Involved in alien smuggling. Their
activity has become more intense in recent years.

5) Pakistani: 9 OC groups, 48 identified members, 1 of whom
is considered key. Involved in alien smuggling. Widespread
abuse against their illegal alien charges, including torture,
violence, illegal detention and extortion (getting the
aliens' families to pay for their release once in Greece).

6) Georgian: 1 OC group, 41 identified members, 2 of whom
are considered key. Involved in the smuggling of stolen
vehicles and some alien smuggling. Greece remains a transit
point for stolen vehicle trafficking from Western European
countries (in particular, France, Italy, Germany and Spain)
to countries of Eastern Europe, former USSR, Middle East and
Asia. Investigation of this OC group, which deals with
stolen vehicles from Central Europe to Georgia, is still
on-going.

7) Italian: 1 OC group, 34 identified members (joint group
with Greek members),5 of whom are considered key. Involved
in smuggling of stolen vehicles.

8) Russian: 2 OC groups, 26 identified members, 4 of whom
are considered key. Involved in human trafficking, alien
smuggling and cigarette smuggling.

9) Romanian: 4 OC groups, 18 identified members, 1 of whom
is considered key. Involved in theftm, human trafficking and
fraud.

10) Nigerian: 3 OC groups, 17 identified members. Involved
in drug trafficking, especially estasy pills, and copyright
infringements, particularly CDs.

11) Chinese: 2 OC groups, 10 identified members, 1 of whom
is considered key. Involved in smuggling illegal Chinese
aliens. During 2004 there were several cases of Chinese
immigrants coming from Turkey to Greece. These aliens were
transported via the land borders and hidden in vehciles
(trucks, coaches). Chinese alien smugglers were particularly
brutal, using violence, torture and extortion (forcing the
aliens' families to pay from 8,000-17,000 euros).

12) Ukrainian: 3 OC groups (joint groups with Greek
participation),10 identified members, 1 on whom is
considered key. Involved in alien smuggling, human
trafficking and fraud.

13) Moldovan: 2 OC groups (joint groups with Greek
participation),9 identified members, 2 of whom are
considered key. Involved in human trafficking and alien
smuggling.

14) Macedonian: 1 OC group, 4 identified members. Involved
in alien and cigarette smuggling. Smuggled cigarettes are
illegally imported to Greece where they are forwarded by
truck, via the ports of Piraeus, Patras and Igoumenitsa, to
Northern European countries, mainly the UK, where cigarette
taxes are high. In some cases, cargoes were destined for
Greece as well.

15) Serbian: 1 OC group (joint group with Greek
participation),3 identified members. Involved in fraud,
especially involving credit cards.

16) Croatian: 1 OC group, 5 identified members. Involved
in smuggling of stolen vehicles.

17) Cameroon (joint group with French and Nigerian
participation): 1 OC group, 4 identified members. Involved
in fraud.

Note: Japan and Bosnia are not present at all in OC cases.


B. What types of criminal activity are these groups engaged
in (see above)? What is the economic impact of the criminal
activity?

-- No systematic research has been undertaken to determine
the impact of OC activity on the Greek economy. No reliable
statistics exist that can compare the profits from criminal
activities to those of legal activities. Anecdotal evidence
suggests, however, that given Greece's large informal economy
(typically 28-35 percent of GDP),OC activity might have a
significant impact.


C. What front companies do the groups use? What
relationship, if any, is there between the criminal groups
listed above and crime groups indigenous to the host country?
Are there indications that the groups listed above cooperate
with each or other international criminals?

-- Front companies that are used include
shipping/transportation companies and small businesses.
Based on case studies, police have determined that most OC
groups do not resort to crimes such as robberies to finance
their illegal activities. There is a strong connection
between criminal groups listed above and indigenous crime
groups. In fact, criminal "joint ventures" made up of Greek
and foreign criminals make up a little over a quarter
(47/178) of known OC organizations in the country. Another
quarter is wholly Greek (48/178) and the rest are wholly
foreign. Most OC groups operating in Greece had connections
with foreign countries, with Turkey, Albania, Italy, and
Bulgaria having the most contact.


D. Are there indications of links or connections between
these groups and terrorist organizations in the host country?

-- There is no evidence to suggest this link.


E. Is there evidence of corrupt relationships bewteen these
groups and host country businessmen or government officials?
What is the nature of these relationships? If possible,
please provide examples of these crime groups coercing
business or government officials.
-- In some cases, OC groups cannot accomplish their goals
without the tolerance and protection of civil servants. Most
of these corruption cases do not involve coercion. Most
example among government officials had to do with fraud and
forgery in relation to illegal aliens. Greek police provided
the following examples in 2004:

1) Forgery: A senior official of the Labor Directorate of
the prefecture of Athens, with the supoprt of other
employees, issued false residence permits. An employee at
the municipality of Mykonos was found to be a member of an OC
group dealing with document forgery concerning labor permits
for aliens. Employees at the municipality fo Gerakas were
members of a group that issued large numbers of false
residence permits to aliens.

2) Drugs: An employee at the Judiciary Prison of Diavata,
Thessaloniki, was a member of a group trafficking heroin into
the prison.

3) Counterfeiting/Human Trafficking: A border goard of the
Illegal Immigrant Enforcement Section of the Public Order
Ministry was a key member of a group dealing with counterfeit
euros, as well as human and drug trafficking.

4) Cigarette Smuggling: A police officer participated in a
group dealing with the transportation of smuggled cigarettes.

5) Robberies: A retired police officer participated in a
group committing robberies.

6) Child Pornography: A mathematician/teacher who worked at
Thessaloniki University was part of a ring which distributed
child pornography over the Internet using the computer
network of the university.

7) Fraud: A bank teller who facilitated loans with the use
of false documents was found be a member of an OC group.
COUNTRYMAN