A Merseyside man arrested in Greece after an operation to smash a cocaine trafficking cartel is wanted by police in the UK in connection with an unsolved gangland murder.
Four British men, believed to be aged 38, 45, 48, and 52, from Liverpool and London, were arrested at a fortified rental villa in the Greek port city of Thessaloniki last Thursday (June 9) after a dramatic raid by armed police. The Hellenic Police said a fifth British man is also wanted, but is believed to be overseas.
The ECHO can confirm the 45-year-old man, from Liverpool, is a person of interest in an unsolved murder enquiry in England. Greek media reports describe the case as involving a man being "tortured and set on fire".
The men were arrested over the seizure of 300kg of cocaine stashed in a shipment of bananas, which had been identified in the Italian port of Calabria before being seized in Thessaloniki. Police say the gang are also allegedly linked to a previous haul of 654kg of cocaine destined for Thessaloniki, which was intercepted on a ship in Calabria in April.
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According to Greek media, the men appeared in court this week for a pre-trial hearing but "remained silent". Under Greek privacy laws their identities have not been released, and any trial could be a considerable time away.
However Greek journalists report the missing suspect is believed by the authorities to be in Colombia and is one of the biggest players in international cocaine trafficking, and a major target of the American Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The reports suggest he may be personally in control of around 10% of the world's cocaine trade.
Of the suspects captured in Greece, one is described as a "hardened criminal" who allegedly tried to snatch a police officer's gun during the arrest but was unsuccessful. Greek media has reported that one of suspects is the brother of the missing cartel kingpin.
The alleged involvement of British men in the conspiracy has raised eyebrows amongst organised crime experts. Calabria is the home territory of the powerful 'Ndrangheta mafia clans, which are believed to control around 80% of cocaine trafficking in mainland Europe.
However Dr Anna Sergi, Professor of criminology and organised crime at the University of Essex, and an expert on Italian mafia groups, told the ECHO there has been so far little evidence of systematic collaboration between Italian mafia groups and British gangs.
The use of Greek ports is a favoured trafficking route of powerful gangs from Albania and the Western Balkans, who have established an enormous presence in the British underworld, particularly in London.
However Dr Sergi said the suggestion by Greek police that some of the seized cocaine was destined for Australia was "interesting", as 'Ndrangheta clans are seen as the main players in the trafficking of cocaine down under.
As well as the cocaine, Greek police seized and handgun and bullets, radio and GPS positioning equipment, 11 mobile phones and cash.
