Thirteen people, most of whom are sales representatives and pharmaceutical company executives, were arrested on suspicion of bribery of doctors and illegal prescription of drugs.
Sources told state news agency Amna on Friday that police intervened after months of investigation, which also included the lawful wiretapping of the suspects’ phones.
More than 100 people are involved in the extensive case, including doctors and pharmacists, and the amount of the alleged fraud amounts to hundreds of thousands of euros.
The gang used social security numbers from the records of doctors or relatives and friends to obtain illegal prescriptions, state television ERT reported Sunday.
The arrests were made in the last 24 hours in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities.
The detainees were taken to the prosecutor of Thessaloniki, who charged them with establishing a criminal organization, fraud, perjury, bribery and extortion in the public and private sectors, as well as issuing fake medical certificates.
The suspects, who are ordered to remain in custody, must testify before the investigating judge until Wednesday.
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