Colombian drug cartel behind million dollar Greek hospital thefts

Colombian criminals have been behind a spate of thefts in May at a number of Greek hospitals where hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical equipment were stolen, according to Greek authorities.

Greek police authorities have identified three out of four suspects, who are believed to be members of a Colombian drug cartel aged 20, 37 and 50 years old.

The gang had hit Aghios Savvas state hospital in Athens and state general hospitals in the Greek cities of Larisa, Lamia and Volos stealing expensive medical instruments used in gastrointestinal examinations.

Police authorities believe the instruments and supplies stolen were used to facilitate the secret transportation and recovery of ingested drugs being smuggled across borders.

The four suspects are believed to be members of a cartel that had carried out similar heists throughout Europe.

While in Greece, the ring stole 500,000 euros of medical equipment and supplies from Aghios Savvas on May 15, another 115,000 euros from the Lamia and Larisa General Hospitals between May 19-22 and two gastroscopes from Volos General Hospital on May 21.

Based on an investigation by the Crimes Against Life and Property department of the Attica Security Police, and in collaboration with police forces abroad, it is believed to be the same ring that also stole medical equipment from Luxembourg, Spain, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Croatia and Lithuania.

Following up information supplied by French police that packages of medical instruments were posted to Colombia, the Greek police tracked the movements of the suspects and found that they had entered Greece via Turkey, renting an apartment via the internet. They also used rented cars to travel about and locate cities with hospitals they could target.