Turkish mafia poses hybrid threat

(Goulielmos Antoniou/Intime News)

A confidential report compiled by Greek security authorities detailing the activities of the Turkish mafia in Greece has issued a stark warning about the risk of it being used as a tool by secret services. The multi-page report coincides with the recent arrest of armed Turkish mafiosi in Greece on two separate occasions within the space of three days.

The authors of the report characterize the potential recruitment of criminals by espionage networks as an “escalating threat”. The report notes, among other things, that Greece risks becoming an arena for settling scores between rival organized crime groups in Turkey, as happened in the case of the killing of six people in Loutsa in September 2023. However, it also stressed that Turkish criminal groups could be used by “politically motivated actors and intelligence services to carry out covert operations, such as conducting hybrid operations”.

Organized crime has traditionally been a lucrative target for intelligence agencies around the world.

“This is an escalating threat,” the report said, stressing that Turkish criminal networks operating in the country “could be effectively leveraged by foreign state actors.”

The analysis of incidents in Greece related to the Turkish mafia since September 2023 reveals common features regarding the methodology used. For example, when they enter Greece illegally, they claim to be members of the Kurdish PKK or supporters of the Gulen network, in order to apply for asylum.

In some cases, they claim to be facing trumped-up prosecutions in Turkey. They live luxurious lives with expensive vehicles, post their photos and videos on social networks, while using Airbnb rentals for their accommodation – mainly in central Athens and eastern Attica – using fellow Turks living in Greece, whom the prosecuting authorities have not contacted, to complete the agreements.

“They are looking for synergies with Turks living in Greece or other countries of the European Union or the Western Balkans,” the secret report said. And also the fact that the presence of Turkish criminals in the country of Kurdish origin carries the risk of creating connections and contacts with people from the anarchist-anti-authoritarian space, who usually participate in solidarity initiatives for persecuted Kurds.