Greece,Politicians,Police and Drugs

Today's (or to be exact yesterday's) top Greek story is the following

Search Operation Underway
05 Nov 2007 15:14:00 (Last updated: 05 Nov 2007 21:27:07)

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΑNA-ΜPA

The police have launched an extensive search operation in Zoniana, Rethymno, after a convoy of police cars on their way to the village to search for drugs was attacked Monday by gunmen. Three special guards serving on Crete were injured. Greek Police chief Anastasios Dimoshakis and Police Inspector for Southern Greece Lieutenant General Christos Drakopoulos have already arrived at the crime scene to coordinate the operations. The whole area has been cordoned off, with the policemen scouring the place. Special guard Efstathios Lazaridis, 25, shot in the neck, underwent a surgery at the Heraklion Hospital. The other two special guards, who were transferred to the Rethymnon Hospital, suffered minor injuries. While visiting the two special guards, Dimoshakis termed the incident as unprecedented for the Greek standards, clashing with both Crete’s history and the Greek culture. "The Greek Police will assume its responsibilities. We have to implement legitimacy," he concluded.

Sanidas Intervenes

Supreme Court Prosecutor G. Sanidas ordered the police forces to complete their investigation at Zoniana, asking in parallel from the Deputy Prosecutor in Rethymno to see that the culprits are discovered.

Meanwhile, 75 EKAM (Special Anti-terrorism Unit) men on a C 130 cargo aircraft landed in Crete on Monday evening. Their orders are to keep law and order at Zoniana and search for arms.

At the same time, Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos has contacted the 25-year-old guard’s family and ordered the police to transfer any close members of the guard’s family to Crete.

On the occasion of the attack, KKE (Greek Communist Party) issued a written announcement, pointing out that the organized underworld enjoys the support of strong back up.

SYRIZA (Coalition of Radical Left) also released an announcement, offering its sympathy to the injured police officers, wishing them speedy recovery.
"Police has to place emphasis on issues pertaining to the citizens’ protection from similar attacks and combat the trade in precursor drugs. Such activities do not reflect the society of the Crete, which is bound to stand up to similar violent cases," concluded the announcement.

The Bloody Incident

The case goes back to last Friday, when a 24-year-old man was arrested in Rethymno, while his cousin managed to escape. Both men had in their possession a substantial amount of hashish and cocaine. Heraklion police asked for aid from the police in Rethymno in order to search the homes of the arrested man and his cousin, who is wanted in Zoniana. A police convoy of 12 4x4 with over 40 policemen set off for Zoniana, where about 500 metres out of the village they received a barrage of fire, from Kalashnikof assault rifles by gunmen, who injured the three special guards.

Source : news.ert.gr

Let's look up some interesting facts...

1) Drug-related deaths have been increased by 1800% in the last 15 years. (Source:"Kathimerini" newspaper)

2) Three years ago over 300 hashish trees were found at a field belonging at the University of Rethymnon,the interesting part being that the trees were watered by the University's employees and the water bills were payed by the University.

3) All people know what's happening (all over Greece,it's not just Crete) but noone wants to speak for obvious reasons.

4) The whole yesterday's operation was hold secret,the policemen who took place in the (fiasco) operation were noticed 10 minutes before it started! 'Till then the only thing they knew was that they were about to escort a money transfer! (Apparently the bad guys knew better).

5) After today's fiasco everyone relevant or irrelevant had on opinion to express (most of them telling the obvious for Greece's reality "everyone knows what's going on") except the ones who should have an opinion,thus the Prime Minister and his Government who noone knows where they are onca again... (Notice:Anyone can have his personal beliefs about President Bush but as i (and all of us) have seen it's the first to appear when anything serious happens.I think we're the only country which it's Prime Minister never talks to the public! It's not that he don't want to inform the public,it's that he's busy finding the right solution!).

Conclusion : Another operation with 70 SWAT and a police helicopter is scheduled for today's morning (as all TV channels said).Let's hope it doesn't end up like Bagdad...