Hellenic Police officials appear certain that the dismantling of the largest criminal organization that has ever acted in Greece will soon lead to the solving of many high-profile cases that remained unsolved for years, due to lack of evidence.

The case file compiled by Greek Police in the context of an investigation into a huge extortion ring operating since 2011 out of Korydallos prison contains shocking evidence about 37 people involved, including the one-time defense minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos and current inmate Panagiotis Vlastos. In addition to the 16 people arrested so far, more suspects will be soon apprehended by the police for their involvement in the executive branch of the criminal organization which was carrying out contract killings, bomb attacks and extortions.

Some of the defendants in this case have been called to testify this morning. “So far many cases have been solved, due to new evidence produced by the probe,” a police source told protothema.gr, adding  that they are currently focusing on the murder of two members of the far right Golden Dawn party, shot dead on November 1, 2013 by unknown gunmen. It should be noted that jailed felon Panagiotis Vlastos reportedly said that he knows the perpetrators.

The Police official also made specific reference to some odd recordings, included in the case file, that reveal information about a murder contract against lawyer Petros Madouvalos over a drug trafficking case. “It seems that the criminal lawyer had undertaken the defense of some of the defendants,” he said, underlining that another important aspect of the case is the criminal organization’s relationship with members of convicted terrorist groups.

According to the police, the alleged leader of the organization, jailed felon Panagiotis Vlastos, has become prone to taking risks after so many years in prison and the mistakes he has made over the years left a trail of evidence about his criminal activity.

More specifically, new evidence have emerged about his involvement in a murder contract against his 45-year-old cousin Litsa, a former member of Vlastos’ gang who turned informant in order to protect her life, when she realized that the notorious criminal wanted her dead. Vlastos was accusing her of losing the ransom money from a kidnapping case and wanted to take revenge on her, according to the case file.

Litsa, who is under police protection, has also helped the police thwart another assassination plot against Court of Appeals President Paraskevi Kalatzi, by providing them information.