Greece arrests pair suspected of MDMA smuggling to Aust

Two Greek men have been arrested after being suspected of exporting crystal meth to Australia. (HANDOUT/UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA)

Greece's anti-drug authorities have arrested two Greek men suspected of being part of a transnational crime ring exporting crystal meth and MDMA to Australia, police say.

Police seized about 56 kg of the psychedelic drug MDMA, the main ingredient of ecstasy pills, and nearly 30 kg of methamphetamine, also known by its street name of ice or crystal meth, in one of Greece's biggest busts of the drugs.

They were hidden in boxes, among olive oil and olive containers in a warehouse in the capital Athens.

Following a tip-off, officers from Greece's drug law enforcement unit monitored the two men as they transferred the boxes to another Athens warehouse in an operation that led to their arrest on Thursday.

The investigation continues.

Olive oil
The drugs were hidden among olive oil and olive containers in a warehouse in Athens (file pic).

Europe is an important global supplier of MDMA and there are indications that production in the continent is increasing, the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), said in a report this year.

In February, Australian police found about 120 kilos of MDMA hidden in vans on a cargo ship that had arrived from Europe.

In 2022, they seized more than 1,800 kg of methamphetamine, which is the most widely consumed synthetic stimulant drug in the world, according to EUDA.

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store