A convoy of 24 police vehicles departed from Thessaloniki before dawn on Thursday, transferring 34 of the 37 suspects arrested in connection with the OPEKEPE subsidy fraud scandal to the Athens Police Headquarters (GADA).
The large-scale transfer began shortly before 4 a.m., following marathon depositions to officers from Greece’s Financial Police Division of Northern Greece, often referred to as the country’s “Greek FBI.”
The suspects will be brought before the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which oversees cases involving EU financial interests.
According to judicial sources, the defendants face a series of serious charges amounting to a felony, including participation in a criminal organization, subsidy-related fraud, falsification of documents, and money laundering. These offenses carry heavy penalties under Greek and European law.
The arrests come as part of an extensive investigation into the alleged misuse of EU agricultural aid. Authorities believe the suspects orchestrated a coordinated scheme to obtain subsidies through false certifications and fabricated documentation, effectively siphoning off funds intended for legitimate beneficiaries.
All 37 detainees have been brought before the Athens court complex, where they are expected to request time to prepare their defense statements. Within the next five days, they must present their explanations before judicial authorities, after which decisions will be made regarding their further detention or release pending trial.
The Transfer Operation
The operation, captured in footage published by local media, involved 23 unmarked police cars and one patrol vehicle escorting the suspects through the early hours.
According to reports, an entire police van was required solely to transport case files and official documents related to the investigation.
The suspects come from several northern Greek regions — 21 from Thessaloniki, 11 from Pella, and two from Ioannina. They are accused of participating in an extensive network that allegedly defrauded the state’s agricultural payment agency, OPEKEPE, by securing subsidies through false or manipulated declarations.
Among those transferred is one of the alleged ringleaders, a former employee of a Declaration Reception Center, accused of channeling fraudulent subsidy applications through the agency’s system.
