Law enforcement

A police officers association says it is planning legal action after names and details of hundreds of officers from a new elite crime-fighting agency were published on the internet.

Dubbed the "Greek FBI," the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (DAOE) was launched Thursday to tackle organized crime activities including contract killings, fuel smuggling and money laundering.

In Sofia, 588 serious road accidents have occurred this year, 11 fewer than the same period last year, according to Commissioner Valentin Krusharski, head of the "Road Police" at the Capital Directorate of Internal Affairs (SDVR). There have been 693 injured, a slight increase by two, while fatalities decreased to 25, which is 14 fewer compared to 2023.

In a significant development that could impact various stakeholders, the Council of State is expected to announce its ruling on building height bonuses provided by Greece's New Building Regulation before Christmas. 

Authorities are investigating a vehicle containing explosives discovered in Omonia Square in downtown Athens.

Counter-terrorism officers are at the scene, and traffic has been suspended on Socrates Street due to the ongoing investigation.

In Ruse and the surrounding region, a specialized operation aimed at curbing vote-buying is currently underway, as announced by the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Justice Minister Georgios Florides addressed the legislative initiatives set to be implemented by 2025 during the celebration of the Day of Justice (Dionysios Areopagitis) at the Old Parliament building. Concurrently, a group of lawyers staged a protest against the shortcomings of the ‘new’ judicial charter outside the venue.

A large-scale police operation took place on Wednesday morning in western Attica as part of a crackdown on crime in the wider region.

Authorities reported the arrest of six individuals during the operation, which involved the seizure of firearms, more than 250 9mm rounds, and mobile phones.

A Georgian national was detained on the Trakia highway for transporting foreigners without identity documents, as reported by the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Sofia. The incident occurred yesterday before noon when police stopped a van for inspection and discovered 44 men inside, all of whom identified themselves as Afghans.

A man from Bangladesh was found dead in a police cell in central Athens on Tuesday morning.

Police said the 29-year old man was found hanged in the police station of Omonoia by the officers who came in for work on Tuesday. He had been detained on Monday night for causing damage to a police car and was kept in an area together with 11 other prisoners.

A dramatic heist took place in the port town of Lavrio, in southeastern Attica, on Thursday, as four armed robbers ambushed a cash delivery van and made off with nearly 1 million euros.

According to security staff, the suspects were dressed in white overalls and surgical masks and had been waiting outside a toy store for the van.