Mobs at war over fuel, tobacco rackets

The execution of mobster Vangelis Zambounis in the Athens suburb of Neos Kosmos on January 14 was just the tip of the iceberg in a case that began unfolding about two years ago, involving ethnic Greeks from the former Soviet Union who appear to have embarked on a campaign of sorts to push out rival leaders of the so-called Greek Mafia. 

According to the police, the turf war involves the battle to control the illicit trade in tobacco and fuel.

Indicatively, in recent years, and probably also due to the war in Ukraine, the mobsters tried to take control of the illegal tobacco market in Greece, demanding exorbitant amounts of money from domestic players.

A breakthrough in the case came last week with three arrests for three homicides and one attempted murder of prominent underworld figures.

The arrests are related to the executions of 53-year-old Yannis...