On Saturday, Greek police arrested tens of illicit antiquities dealers, from the largest illicit antiquities network in Greece, in a ‘mousetrap [φάκα]‘.
Halkidiki police uncovered the gang. Then, over four months, Greek police investigated the illicit antiquities ring, from its base in Central Macedonia (northern Greece), to its other areas of operation in Thessaly and Sterea (central Greece).
Then, they swooped on at least 30 homes in 13 counties in northern Greece. They recovered a mass of antiquities, including at least 4,800 ancient coins (possibly more than 5,000); just one of the dozens of dealers had more than 4,000 coins. One of those was an extremely rare coin from the kingdom of Alexander the Great, worth at least four million euros; it depicted Alexander on one side and an eagle on the other side.
Alongside the antiquities, the police found books about antiquities (primarily about coins), metal detectors and a lot of weapons. And they arrested more than 35 people (at least 36), from farmers to businessmen to shopkeepers, in (what they believe to be) the furthest-reaching/widest-ranging ring of illicit antiquities dealers in the country. One of the leaders was a 65-year-old in Gerakarou, the old town of Thessaloniki.
They have intensified their existing investigation, hitting Fthiotida in central Greece; and they have extended it as far as Kavala in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (north-eastern Greece). They expect the number of arrests to increase.
