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Greece arrests five over cocaine trafficking on ship from Venezuela to Europe
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 15, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 15, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Five arrested in Greece for cocaine trafficking from Venezuela to Europe. The operation involved a Greek-operated vessel and collaboration with the DEA.
ATHENS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Greek police have arrested five suspected members of an international crime ring trafficking an estimated seven tonnes of cocaine from Venezuela to Europe on a Greek-operated fishing vessel, two police officials said on Monday.
The arrests, in various parts of Greece, follow an investigation launched in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, one of the officials said on condition of anonymity.
Those held included the suspected ringleader.
The ship had set sail from a small port in Greece's northern city of Thessaloniki for Latin America. Investigators believe that it later loaded up to seven tonnes of cocaine off Venezuela. Police did not disclose its final destination.
Another five people on board the vessel were arrested by French authorities, the official added. The ship, escorted by the French Navy over the past two days through the Atlantic, will be taken to a French port.
Greece has launched a probe into the owner of the vessel, who has a criminal record related to drug offences.
The Mediterranean country has stepped up the fight against drug trafficking in recent years as Europe has become a top market for cocaine.
(Reporting by Yannis Souliotis; Writing by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Drug trafficking is the illegal trade of drugs and controlled substances, often involving large-scale operations that transport drugs across borders and distribute them within countries.
International crime refers to criminal acts that violate international laws and treaties, often involving cross-border activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and terrorism.
Law enforcement refers to the agencies and officers responsible for enforcing laws, maintaining public order, and preventing, detecting, and investigating crimes.
Criminal finance involves the financial aspects of crime, including money laundering and the financial management of illegal activities to conceal their origins.
Money laundering is the process of making illegally obtained money appear legitimate by disguising its original source, often through a series of complex financial transactions.
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