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The Greek police announce that they have broken up one of the largest international networks for cocaine import and trafficking from Latin America to Greece. During the operation, which was codenamed "Avalanche" and which ended on Thursday, they captured 16 members of cartels, four of whom were in charge of a criminal network.

The authorities had arrested the 16 persons in Attica, Thessaloniki, Serres, Halkidiki and Chania over the past two days, after a month-long investigation.

According to its results, the network consisted of five criminal gangs which had acted independently and in cooperation with one another regarding the imports and trafficking of cocaine in Greece.

Those captured are citizens of Greece, Albania, Spain, Venezuela and Ukraine. The head of the network is a Georgian citizen of Greek descent, aged 45, who is wanted by Interpol for the establishment of a criminal group for drug trafficking and attempted assassinations in Georgia and for involvement therein. He has been also accused of falsifying documents and of an extensive document fraud in Azerbaijan.

The second head of the cartel is an Albanian man, aged 33, against whom an arrest warrant had been issued in the past for incitement to commit murder in connection with a shipment of 26 kilograms of cocaine from Madrid to Greece.

The captured persons have been charged with establishment of, and involvement in, a criminal group, legalization of proceeds from criminal activities and with import, trade and trafficking of drugs to the degree of felony.

The cartel also involved a policeman, aged 44, who is already in prison in Korydallos after being convicted of involvement in an armed group, participating in robberies of lorries transporting cigarettes and other goods, and of jewellery shops.

During the investigation, the following items were seized: 146.5 kilograms of cocaine, 352,000 euro in cash, 500,000 euro in bank accounts, a pistol with 2 magazines and 15 cartridges, 9 luxury cars and 1 motorcycle, 50 mobile phones, 3 laptops and counterfeit passports.