The 14 suspects who were arrested in relation to the Coast Guard’s impressive heroin cartel busts are expected to state their plea by Thursday. All of the suspects face the charges of forming a criminal organization and trafficking narcotics.
The first to testify are some of the Indian crew members of the “Noor One” tanker that was used to transport the heroin, while a 32-year-old Greek man and a 47-year-old Iranian man who appears to play a central role in the cartel will testify on Wednesday. The 53-year-old Greek woman who appears to be the representative of the ship-owning company and the remaining crew members will testify on Thursday.
The role of the Iranian and ship-owner suspects
The 47-year-old Iranian man who was arrested in the Coast Guard’s second operation appears to have a central role in the drug cartel and is the only suspect so far who has willingly testified to the authorities.
It appears that the 47-year-oold boarded the Noor One when the heroin shipment was loaded between Pakistan and Oman and was tasked with escorting the shipment to its final destination. It has been reported that the mobile phone found on his person had only one phone number stored, that of detained ship-owner Efthimios Giannousakis.
Giannousakis is believed to have been tasked with overseeing the transportation of the heroin shipment to western European countries. The Coast Guard however suspects that more people are involved in the drug cartel and further arrests are expected.
On Monday the Coast Guard carried out an inspection of the Noor One which is seized in Elefsina and found that in the past it has sailed under the names “Kythnos”, “Kithvos”, “Envi II”, “Kori” and “Akori”.
