One of Greece's Most Wanted Fugitives Extradited and in Custody

A 47-year-old Greek-Syrian fugitive, one of Greece's most wanted criminals, is now in custody following his extradition from Kosovo.

Convicted of a series of crimes including organising a criminal syndicate, blackmail, usury, and money laundering, the individual faces a combined sentence of 36 years in prison and a €150,000 fine.

The fugitive had been on the run since December 2012, when he disappeared just days before a verdict was issued by the Three-member Criminal Appeal Court of Thessaloniki. The court had found him guilty of playing a pivotal role in a large extortion and usury operation that generated illegal profits of €2.5 million. At the time, he was released from custody under restrictive conditions, as his 18-month pre-trial detention limit had expired. However, he violated these conditions and subsequently evaded authorities.

For years, the fugitive's whereabouts remained unknown until recently, when Greek authorities located him in Kosovo. Following a formal request from Greece, the judicial authorities in Pristina approved his extradition.

The fugitive, who had previously been involved in Greek football as a club official, was transferred to Greece, where he is expected to appear before a Thessaloniki Appeals Court prosecutor to begin serving his sentence.

(Source: Amna)