Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted the successes of the newly-established Hellenic Police Directorate for Combatting Organised Crime (DAOE) after visiting and chairing a meeting with its officers at the Attica general police headquarters on Wednesday.
"I am here today primarily in order to convey my satisfaction and my thanks for the many very important successes this directorate has managed to achieve within a relatively short space of time," he stressed, while urging the officers to "keep sending the message" that no gang or criminal organisation is above the law.
Mitsotakis also noted that he had immediately embraced the idea of forming the "FBI-style" service when this was first proposed by Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis, even though this had been received with scepticism and suspicion in many quarters.
"You have succeeded in proving the systematic critics of this government initiative wrong and shown that you have a very substantial role to play in fighting organised crime," he added.
"I wish to particularly dwell on two operations you mentioned: one dealing with this very big network of illegal tobacco products, which also had clear links with what we called the Greek Mafia, but also to the very effective first operation you carried out to deal with the trafficking of contraband and adulterated fuels at many petrol stations and throughout their supply chain," the prime minister said, adding: "I think this is the best proof that we meant what we said when I spoke for the first time of this concept of legality everywhere."
He noted that the new service, within a short space of time, had succeeded in solving cases that had long occupied public discourse without the authorities managing to bring satisfactory results.
Mitsotakis highlighted the need for making the best possible use of cooperation with foreign law enforcement services, given that organised crime had no borders and was always striving to stay one step ahead of all law enforcement agencies. He also emphasised the priority the government gives to the use of technology, especially AI, to better process information and enable more targeted actions with more satisfactory results.
"I am glad you are moving in this direction and you will also have my support in further strengthening the service with equipment and such modern technological tools," the prime minister added, while announcing that he was discussing with the minister to find ways to better support its efforts financially, based on its results.
"I think that it is fair that a part of the benefit for the state budget, which is easily quantified, should return to you and especially to the senior personnel of the directorate, so that you feel there is material, as well as moral, recognition of the important work that you do," Mitsotakis said.
The prime minister urged the officers to "keep sending the message that no-go areas do not exist, that there are no gangs or criminal organisations that are above the law," while adding:
"Let me express my satisfaction over your excellent cooperation with the prosecuting authorities, because the cycle you have outlined is ongoing but the final goal must be for justice to be served, the guilty convicted and in this way to protect not only the state budget and huge revenue sources but also for the citizens to feel safe. For consumers to know there is a state that takes care of them and protects them."
Chrisochoidis, on his part, said the specific police unit was exceptionally proficient and high in operational capability, having carried out two major operations simultaneously a few days earlier. He noted that this had two results, protecting both public revenues and the state budget but also consumers.
The minister said it was a government action to protect the interests of the citizens and secure the funds needed for social policies.
Mitsotakis visited the DAOE on Wednesday morning, where he was received by Chrisochoidis and the head of the newly-formed "Greek FBI", Major General Fotis Douitsis, and then briefed on the directorate's activities.
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