Greek police officer arrested on suspicion of helping major drug ring

A Greek police officer has been arrested on suspicion of assisting a transnational cocaine trafficking ring by leaking confidential investigative information to its members and helping them cover up illicit activities.

Two more people are in custody as part of the months-long investigation launched on information provided by France and the European policing agency Europol, Greek police said in a statement late on Thursday.

An analysis of encrypted communications through messaging service Sky ECC by authorities in France, Belgium and the Netherlands over the past few years helped lead to the arrests in Greece, a police official said.

Europol believes that Sky ECC and another online platform EncroChat - both have ceased operations - were widely used by gangsters. It said in June 2023 that the takedown of Encrochat had led to more than 6,500 arrests.

Charges against the three arrested in Greece range from setting up a criminal group and trafficking drugs to bribery.

Greek police said the main suspect, a 42-year-old former member of the police anti-narcotics unit, was receiving a monthly payment from gangsters who were smuggling cocaine and cannabis into Greece, and witnesses said he had a lavish lifestyle.

Their statement said that two other Greek officers are under investigation on suspicion of assisting the criminal ring.