New revelations come to light about the “Greek Escobar“. As it becomes known, his romantic relationship with a brothel owner in Antwerp allegedly opened the doors to the international underworld for the first time, resulting in building his legend. Initially, the “Greek Escobar” started as a bouncer at a nightclub on Syngrou Avenue and was a sailor on supply ships, while he soon found himself involved in smuggling cigarettes from Albania to Italy.
Read: “Greek Escobar” appears before investigator: Cocaine trafficking ring members testify (Images)
According to Ant1 and the show “Revelations“, the accused started from the bottom, until he acquired the massive network he has. According to police sources, the event that allegedly determined his life, however, was the romantic relationship he formed in Antwerp. There, he allegedly became close to a brothel owner, which resulted in opening the doors of the international underworld for him. From then on, his rise in criminality was rapid. Cigarette smuggling, weapons trafficking, contacts and money, while he even became involved in football.
“Greek Escobar”: The Spanish authorities’ raid and 5.4 tons of cocaine
Specifically, he appeared in the administration of an amateur team in Pieria, which within three years found itself in the Second Division. In the summer of 2004 he definitively acquired the nickname “Greek Escobar“. Then, the ship “Africa 1” sailed from Piraeus bound for Turkey, but was found in the Atlantic.
Spanish authorities conducted a raid that revealed 5.4 tons of cocaine, with the drugs hidden in boxes labeled as mineral water, with the cargo’s value exceeding 500 million euros.
Shortly after, he was arrested in Stuttgart before fleeing to Antwerp and was sentenced to life imprisonment, while he was released after serving three-fifths of his sentence, as the mitigating factor of his previous honest life was recognized.
The case reached the Supreme Court and the mitigating factor was rejected, so the first-instance decision was activated and he returned to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.
