Greek mafia: those arrested are accused of three murders and three attempts

Three people have been arrested for their involvement in a group of hitmen who, during an investigation by the Attica Security Service, were found to be behind the murders of the heads of the so-called “Greek mafia” clans, namely Yiannis Skaftouros in Skourtas, Boeotia, and Vasilis Roumbetis and Dionysis Mouzakitis in Piraeus .

Eight people are involved in the case

We are talking about a 29-year-old and a 39-year-old man who were arrested yesterday afternoon, and another man was arrested last night during a search of his house, as magazines for a Kalashnikov assault rifle were found in it. But it has not yet been established whether he was involved in the murders or was an accomplice of the killers.

In total, eight people appear in the case, formed by the homicide department of the Security Department (analogous to the criminal investigation department). A police source said that in addition to the first two arrested, another accomplice is wanted in Greece, one is being held in a prison in the city of Larisa, one is in a prison in Montenegro, and two appear to have fled abroad. A case has been filed against them for creating a criminal organization, three murders and three attempted murders. The three assassination attempts were the murder of a foreigner from the former Soviet Union in Pieria last summer and two relatives of Skaftouros who were wounded by bullets during an attack in Skourta.

They are also believed to be involved in a bomb attack on a gas station owned by Skaftouros’ son, and one of the two arrested was also the victim of a previous terrorist attack, having planted an explosive device in his car in Aspropyrgos. Expected that ELAS will make a statement on the case at 3:30 p.m.

Murder of Skaftouros

Let us recall that G. Skaftouros, also known as “Uncle Joe” in the Greek mafia, was killed in April 2022 at his country house in Skourta Boeotia. According to information available at that time, there were four criminals, and they were riding on two motorcycles. They stopped near the house, and the two, putting on helmets, entered the courtyard of the house, where Yiannis Skaftouros was with about ten relatives and friends, and fired several times from a Kalashnikov assault rifle. A 55-year-old man was fatally wounded by bullets, while his 22-year-old daughter and 45-year-old father-in-law were slightly injured.

Security officials attributed the killing to a death contract carried out as part of an ongoing nightlife war that has claimed many casualties among leading members of the so-called Greek mafia. Yiannis Skaftouros was prosecuted by the authorities for serious crimes, such as participation in manslaughter, in the kidnapping of shipowner Pericles Panagopoulos, and his name appeared in the dossier on leading members of night gangs for extortion, arson and other serious crimes.

Murder of Rubetis

Vassilis Roubetis, 38, known for the fan brawl at the deadly meeting between Olympic and Panathinaikos on Lavrio Avenue in Markopoulo in March 2007, which resulted in the deaths of Michalis Philopoulos and his 31-year-old brother-in-law Dionysis Mouzakitis, killed in June 2023 on Sophias Vembos street in Koridalos.

The attackers, who were in a black SUV, shot and killed the first man in the Mercedes. The second victim, who was in another Smart car, tried to escape and hid in the basement of a residential building. However, the criminals noticed him and shot him on the spot.

Vasilis Rubetes’ car was armored, so the criminals apparently knew about this and used heavy weapons such as two Kalashnikov assault rifles, with which they killed two victims.

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