The trap of ELAS In the Archaeological Circuit in Crete – Interested « Buyers » and the capture of the leader

Police trap were fell by members of the antiquity circuit in Crete who attempted to sell 46 antiquities.

A « key » in the case is a secret police officer who was attending the person concerned to buy the ancient ancient that the perpetrators had.

A total of 6 people were arrested, including the alleged « brain » of the circuit, a director of ELTA.

The information on the circuit

Initially, in the Department of Cultural Heritage and Antiquities, information has been provided that at least three perpetrators have antiquities in their possession, which they are interested in selling immediately.

A member of the organization that served as an intermediary, under the name « Lambros », was looking for buyers.

Lambros and the secret police officer

A secret police officer of the Department approached « Lambros » as a « virtual interconnected buyer » in order to evaluate antiquities for sale and agree to a final price.

Yesterday morning, « Lambros » first met with the secret police officer in Heraklion. They then went to a home to the Atsipades, where a meeting was held at noon, where all the defendants attended. During the meeting, attendees showed the 46 antiquities to the police officer, demanding the sum of 600,000 euros for the sale of the total.

The « brain » of the circuit and director of ELTA. He even pointed to the police officer a photo of his cellphone depicting a possible ancient gold wreath, which he claimed to be for sale. He then claimed that he had sent the photo a person from Rhodes he pointed to the authorities.

As soon as the sale was agreed, they all went out of this house and then the police officer’s colleagues, stabbed them and arrested them, and confiscated all the antiquities.

The number of confiscated antiquities, including one image of the Virgin Mary, leads to the conclusion that the objects were not acquired at the same time, which demonstrates the constant action of those arrested in finding, possessing and subsequently sale of antiquities.

The competent Ephorate of Antiquities examined the antiquities confiscated, for the majority of which, they knew that they were subject to the law on the protection of antiquities. The detainees were taken to the competent prosecutor’s office.