A comprehensive multi-axis plan to properly handle Borizia-type incidents, combat mass trafficking of weapons and drugs, tackle organized crime, and introduce stricter penalties for those who fire shots or possess illegal weapons, will be announced today by Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis from Crete.
At a press conference scheduled for 11:00 AM, the minister will reveal the measures that the Hellenic Police will implement, following a recommendation from the Prime Minister himself, in an effort to put an end to what some Cretans call vendettas, but which today, in the majority of cases, simply constitute armed clashes between rival groups.
Significant reinforcement of Crete’s organized crime unit in Chrysochoidis’ plan
Soon, according to journalistic sources from parapolitika.gr, the Organized Crime Directorate subdivision, the service that Michalis Chrysochoidis calls the “Greek FBI” based in Crete, will be reinforced with uniformed personnel. These are police officers with experience in handling special situations, such as those recorded in the island’s police reports.
At the same time, they will be provided with state-of-the-art special equipment, vehicles capable of operating in difficult terrain, and technological equipment capable of handling special cases. Special teams will be created to handle specific aspects of criminality: vendettas, organized crime, trafficking of weapons-drugs-money laundering. They will handle all serious cases on the island, regardless of prefecture, since they have special expertise, experience and specialization in high-security issues.
Registration of every active vendetta
The innovation introduced by the Ministry of Citizen Protection is the registration of all active vendettas. That is, how many active conflicts between families exist at this moment, who is involved, where those involved reside. In other words, complete registration of data on those involved, their relatives, properties – all the information that police officers will need in a new Borizia-type incident.
With the slightest development, police will not have to search after the incident for enemies, relationships, those involved, but will have complete knowledge of each case separately in real time so they don’t waste time searching for basic information. They will move immediately and precisely to the homes of those involved to locate suspects in real time, before they can dispose of weapons and other evidence.
Arms trade and gun possession
Michalis Chrysochoidis, according to journalistic sources, places great emphasis on blocking the organized groups trafficking weapons on the island. As emerges from the Hellenic Police data so far, the majority of illegal weapons – Kalashnikovs, pistols and revolvers – come from Albania and Balkan countries (through Albania), from Turkey, and recently from Mediterranean shores, mainly from Libya.
Law enforcement estimates for Kalashnikovs alone circulating in Crete speak of unthinkable numbers. A special team will undertake the task of sweeping, detecting and “braking” the uncontrolled activity of arms dealers. This is perhaps the most difficult mission for police officers who will be called to respond to their new duties, due to the terrain morphology and the island’s large area. However, it is characterized as a supremely important part of the comprehensive effort that will soon be implemented.
Black money from weapons and drugs
With the well-known motto “follow the money,” used by American law enforcement services, police will manage to dismantle groups making millions from illegal trade in weapons, ammunition, explosives and drugs. A special service will “scan” the lives, tax returns, declared income and expenses of specific individuals, who are more or less known to be involved in such networks. Naturally, technology will play an important role in this effort, which combined with social media, will reveal the reality.
It’s impossible, emphasize sources from the Ministry of Citizen Protection, for some people to appear as farmers with low incomes, drive around in monster agricultural vehicles worth as much as an Athens apartment, make expensive outings to luxury restaurants and nightclubs, but have permanently empty bank accounts. Financial Police officers will maintain permanent cooperation with this specific team, as will other state financial services. The investigation results will be handed over to another team dealing with organized crime.
Organized crime
The tentacle called “organized crime” in Crete has taken deep root and is uncontrolled. It’s not only related to weapons and drug trafficking, but to livestock theft, extortion of business owners, properties, and land. The island’s massive tourism development has offered many opportunities to hardened criminals who operate uncontrollably. The control of organized crime groups will be conducted exclusively by Athenian police officers, to avoid issues of leaks, local connections, and acquaintances that could harm any aspect of the investigation at an unexpected time.
Stricter penalties and enforcement of existing laws
As has been observed, a large part of prosecutors’ and investigating authorities’ daily routine involves cases related to arrests for illegal gun possession or random shooting. However, there has been observed “flexibility” in the administration of justice, as defendants in similar cases in Athens, for example, face harsher treatment compared to Cretans. The Ministry of Citizen Protection has already contacted officials from the Ministry of Justice for specific legislative interventions. Michalis Chrysochoidis’ goal is for penalties for illegal gun possession and aimless shooting to be non-appealable and non-suspendable, but fully executable.
When someone goes to prison for 5 years for illegal gun possession, they or others will think twice in the future about carrying illegal weapons. Especially using them at social events, baptisms, weddings or even simple family gatherings. Additionally, the issue of stricter penalties for illegal gun possession has been raised. Lenient sentences must be transformed into imprisonment so everyone understands that every illegal weapon will lead them to prison, without being able to invoke any legal loophole that exists today. Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis is opening a cycle of government actions, while interventions by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself and other government members will follow at different levels.
