Greek police seize 324 kg of cannabis hidden in recycling paper, arrest two in Thessaloniki

Police operation in Thessaloniki

On the morning of August 14, 2026, at 08:35, officers from the Narcotics Prosecution Subdirectorate of the Organized Crime Directorate conducted a large-scale police operation in an enclosed area in the Delta municipality of Thessaloniki. The operation was supported by the Drug Enforcement Department of the Northern Greece Organized Crime Subdirectorate and the Crime Prevention and Suppression Department of the Thessaloniki Crime Prosecution Directorate. The two arrested individuals were found at the scene in possession of eight pallets loaded with recycling paper. Four of the pallets were inside a truck mounted on the vehicle, and four were placed alongside it. Hidden within specially constructed compartments in the paper cargo were packages of raw cannabis weighing a total of 324 kilograms and 474 grams, with Turkey as the final destination.

The smuggling route and method

The criminal organization transported large quantities of raw cannabis from Albania through Greece to Turkey using international transport trucks. The group exploited legitimate recycling paper cargoes as cover, building hidden compartments inside the shipments to conceal the drugs. This method allowed the trucks to present themselves as carrying out ordinary commercial transports while moving substantial quantities of narcotics across borders undetected. The investigation followed the exploitation of informational tips regarding the organization's activities, followed by police actions, verifications, and cross-referencing of data. It was conducted in cooperation with drug enforcement authorities of North Macedonia and Kosovo, and involved intelligence gathering and profiling of the individuals involved. According to police findings, the organization had a hierarchical structure and a professional infrastructure that enabled its international operations.

Roles within the organization

Members of the organization had distinct and clearly defined roles. The wanted suspect, a North Macedonia national who remains at large, served as the general coordinator of the group's activities in Greece. He was responsible for finding temporary storage spaces for the drugs, constructing the hidden compartments in the paper cargoes where the narcotics were concealed, maintaining contacts with suppliers, and coordinating the truck drivers for the onward transport of the drugs from Greece to Turkey. The 43-year-old was tasked with receiving the cannabis shipments from Albania and placing them in the specially designed hiding spots within the paper shipments. The 58-year-old played a supporting role in the transport, concealment, and delivery of the drugs from Greece toward Turkey.

Seized assets and estimated profit

In addition to the 324 kilograms and 474 grams of cannabis, authorities seized one truck, two private cars, two mobile phones, one foreign license plate, 11 empty suitcases, and 1,165 euros in cash. The illegal financial benefit the organization was estimated to gain from this activity was calculated to exceed 700,000 euros. Two foreign nationals were arrested: one a citizen of North Macedonia and the other a citizen of Kosovo. A third suspect, a North Macedonia national, has been identified and is being sought by authorities. Investigations also extend to unidentified individuals who are believed to have played a role in supplying the drugs from Albania and in receiving and further distributing them in Turkey.