Greek police dismantle two organized antiquities-smuggling rings, arrest 11 suspects
A coordinated police raid across six northern Greek prefectures broke up two criminal groups involved in illegal excavations and the export of cultural artifacts, resulting in 11 arrests.
Investigators from the Subdirectorate for Organized Crime in Northern Greece, together with the Cultural Heritage Protection Office, executed a large-scale raid in Kozani, Kavala, Xanthi, Drama, Rodopi and Evros. The sweep dismantled two parallel criminal organisations that, since at least September 2025, had run systematic illegal excavations, recruited local informants and used coded language to conceal their activities.
Police confiscated extensive technical gear such as metal detectors, ground-penetrating radars, drones and excavation tools, as well as a variety of ancient items ranging from coins to bronze horse-rider sets. Eleven individuals, including the groups' leaders and an active serviceman, were arrested and will be prosecuted for organized crime, heritage theft and illegal weapons possession. The seized artifacts will be transferred to the Thessaloniki Antiquities Service for preservation and expert evaluation.
Why it matters
It highlights the scale of illicit antiquities trafficking and the threat it poses to cultural heritage.
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