Greek authorities have dismantled a criminal organization that was involved in extorting shopkeepers and street vendors in various regions including Pieria, Halkidiki, and Thessaloniki, following a months-long investigation by the police unit in charge of crime detection and investigation in Katerini. This operation led to the arrest of three men, with two arrested in Thessaloniki and one in a nearby area in Drama.

The police inquiry has identified key figures in the organization, including two leaders, one of whom is currently detained in a prison facility, and four additional associates whose identities have been confirmed. Moreover, authorities have also identified two men and a woman for their respective roles as accomplices and instigators in the extortion activities, highlighting the organized and systemic nature of these crimes that have been carried out since the previous summer.

The criminal organization's method of operation primarily involved soliciting payments from local business owners under the guise of