One of the three individuals who spied on inspectors from the Ministry of Environment and Energy (YPEN) in Mykonos is now being investigated for illegal constructions. He is accused of having built an additional 500 square meters beyond his legal permit—directly on the seafront. A legal case has been filed against all three individuals involved.

The case revolves around a group of entrepreneurs and employees who set up a surveillance network to monitor the YPEN inspectors on the island. One of the three suspects, a contractor and restaurant owner, has been linked to the illegal construction of two luxury villas in Aleomandra. The inspectors had received information that beyond the legal permit, an additional 500 square meters had been built directly on the beach.

This was the primary reason for setting up the surveillance network. The involved businessmen wanted to track the movements of the inspectors in real time to determine if the YPEN teams would reach the disputed seaside property. They would then alert those involved via Viber.

An even more striking detail is that the landowner, believed to be a foreign businessman and owner of a famous luxury watch brand, allegedly planned to open a restaurant on the site. The plan was to operate the restaurant in partnership with the contractor already under investigation for spying on YPEN inspectors.

How the Surveillance Network Operated As revealed in a report by protothema.gr, the surveillance operation came to light when police noticed a white van discreetly following the inspectors’ vehicles. The investigation uncovered that the involved businessmen had set up a well-organized system:

• They monitored the movements of both the Greek police (ELAS) and YPEN teams.
• They recorded videos and took photos with their phones.
• They transmitted the information via Viber to their associates.
• They informed those with illegal constructions in time so that they could take precautionary measures.

The surveillance lasted for at least three weeks, with the suspects tracking the inspectors’ movements, even on days when the latter tried to alter their routes for safety reasons. Authorities are now investigating whether the surveillance network had connections with other businessmen or political figures on the island and whether similar tactics have been used in other illegal construction cases.

The three individuals have already been charged with obstruction of public service, threats, illegal processing of personal data, and obstruction of justice. The contractor, specifically, could face charges for illegal building on the coast, land encroachment, and potentially laundering money from illegal activities, should it be proven that the construction of the villas was organized with knowledge of its illegality.

Further revelations are expected in the coming days, as the Greek Police focus on possible connections of the network with other figures on the island, while YPEN inspectors continue checks on suspicious properties.

The Ongoing Battle Against Illegal Constructions This surveillance case has once again highlighted the intense opposition to the government’s efforts to regulate illegal constructions on the island. Despite the attempts by businessmen to hinder the inspections, the state remains determined to continue its fight against illegal building practices on Mykonos. The latest developments involving the contractor of the villas in Aleomandra show that the situation is more complex than initially thought, with those involved running a network that does not hesitate to resort to espionage tactics.

The investigations are ongoing, and there may be more arrests in the near future.