Greek Appeals Court Reduces Sentences in Major Cocaine Trafficking Case

On Friday, a Greek appeals court reduced the prison sentences of 11 men involved in one of Greece’s largest drug busts, where 1,2 metric tons of cocaine were trafficked from the Caribbean to Europe and Africa. The original multi-year and life sentences were reduced, with the highest now set at 16 years.

The Greek police dismantled the criminal group in 2020 after a lengthy investigation aided by the DEA, as well as Albanian and Spanish police. The group, consisting of Albanian, Dutch, and Greek nationals, had their drugs loaded onto the yacht “Barracuda Seven” near Saint Vincent in the Caribbean, which then sailed to Greece.

Undercover Greek anti-narcotics agents infiltrated the gang, took control of the yacht, and rerouted the drugs to Greece by air. The gang leaders, misled into believing the journey continued normally, were eventually arrested. In January 2020, police confiscated numerous cocaine packages from an apartment in Astakos.

The group’s suspected leaders, including one known as “Doctor” or “Aqua Verde,” were living in Spain and remain at large. Lawyer Dimitris Georgakopoulos, representing the defendants, stated that while the court’s ruling was a step forward, the case will be taken to the top court to address unresolved legal issues.

The surge in South American cocaine production over the past decade has made Europe the largest market for the drug.