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Four Georgians, members of the mafia, were arrested after the successful operation of the Greek police in Oreokastro. The police investigation involved armed policemen from the group for the prevention of crime and was carried out yesterday morning in a hotel in central Oreokastro as well as in the houses of those involved in the criminal group.

The authorities found on the detainees nine weapons and passports from different countries and are now examining their relationship with their convicted colleague, who is defined by the international police forces as the "European Escobar". The crime lab is checking the weapons to determine if they had been used in the past. Police sources told the website zougla.gr that the investigation is in progress and that there will probably be new arrests.

One of the four detainees was sentenced to eight years imprisonment last summer, along with 52-year-old Lasha Shushanashvili who, in turn, was sentenced to fourteen years for involvement in a criminal organisation operating in southern Europe, its centre being initially in Spain and later in Thessaloniki. The Georgian national arrested yesterday in Thessaloniki is defined as Shushanashvili’s right hand and is accused of paying for his hotel in Athens and of being his driver during various trips in Greece. He did not appear in the court which sentenced him and he has been wanted ever since. According to Macedonia newspaper, the police authorities have not yet clarified the level at which the remaining three Georgians acted but they consider them involved in mafia organisations.

Shushanashvili’s road

Reportedly, those arrested were operating in the shadow of Shushanashvili, aged 52, who, according to the European police authorities, occupies one of the top positions on the list of members of the Georgian mafia. In fact, it is believed that he has climbed up the ranks, although he is a prisoner, following the upheavals in similar organisations in Russia.

Lasha Shushanashvili, who was called "the fat", was arrested in a large hotel in Athens in January 2012 after a European arrest warrant issued by the Spanish authorities.