Greece to deploy 25 Teukros II anti-drone systems to prisons after Larissa interception

Interception at Larissa Prison

External guards at Larissa Prison detected an unmanned aerial vehicle carrying a suspicious payload during the afternoon hours of 20 August 2026 as it approached prisoner exercise yards. Prison security staff activated the facility's specialized anti-drone defense system in immediate coordination with external guard personnel. The electronic countermeasure disabled the aircraft, causing it to fall directly into a prison wing courtyard. Correctional officers recovered both the disabled drone and the attached parcel from the ground before any inmates could access the delivery. The Larissa Crime Prosecution and Investigation Sub-Directorate took custody of the physical evidence and opened a preliminary investigation to identify the operators of the drone and determine the intended recipients inside the facility.

Confiscated contraband inventory

A formal inventory conducted by authorities established that the intercepted package carried an extensive array of electronic and telecommunications hardware. Officers seized 12 mobile phones, four wireless routers for mobile internet connections, three USB data storage drives, and 21 SIM cards, which had initially been reported as 20 cards in early regional accounts. The shipment also contained 18 charging cables, 12 power adapters, 10 wired telephone headsets, and two wireless Bluetooth earphones accompanied by two replacement parts. Prison officials noted that the assortment was assembled to establish unauthorized communication networks among inmates.

Expansion of the Teukros defense network

Following the successful interception in Larissa, Greek authorities announced that the General Secretariat for Crime Policy will receive 25 additional Teukros II anti-drone systems to protect correctional facilities nationwide. Developed by the Center for Research, Technological Development and Innovation (KETAK) within the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), the Teukros II represents an updated operational iteration of the defense system currently deployed in Greek penitentiaries. The procurement continues institutional cooperation between the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Citizen Protection to expand military-grade technological capabilities into broader domestic security operations.

The successful operational deployment of the systems showcases the potential of utilizing technologies developed by HNDGS/KETAK to address modern security challenges, as well as the contribution of the Armed Forces, through their expertise and innovative capabilities, in supporting agencies across the broader state apparatus.

Precedents and institutional coordination

The Larissa interception fits into a pattern of aerial contraband attempts intercepted across Greek correctional institutions throughout 2026. Deployed anti-drone installations previously intercepted unmanned aircraft attempting illicit deliveries at Drama Prison on 28 February 2026 and at Larissa Prison on 1 March 2026. While official defense statements attributed the 20 August neutralization to the KETAK-developed Teukros platform, initial reporting by Naftemporiki cited information attributing the action to a Centaur system developed by the Hellenic Defence Innovation Center (ELKAK). The General Secretariat for Crime Policy stated that criminal organizations are turning to unmanned aircraft with greater frequency, prompting the deployment of electronic countermeasures to block unauthorized aerial access across Greek penitentiaries.