Authorities are intensifying their investigation into the recent gunfire incident involving Turkish nationals and Greek National Intelligence Service (NIS) agents in Thessaloniki, with particular emphasis on the northern border region of Greece. Police sources confirm that access points along the border with Bulgaria are relatively unmonitored, as there is no routine passport control, complicating efforts to track clandestine crossings.

The primary target for the Greek police, ELAS (Greek Police) and EYP (National Intelligence Service), is the driver of the vehicle used by the Turkish suspects. According to intelligence reports, this individual is believed to be the person who opened fire on the Greek agents. Preliminary information suggests that the suspect may have attempted to leave Greece—potentially successfully—though current indications are that he has not forsaken the vehicle, a silver Land Cruiser, nor acquired a new one.

Within law enforcement circles, it is estimated that over 500 Turkish mobsters operate across Greece, organized into various groups involved in illicit activities such as drug trafficking, extortion, and other criminal enterprises.

As reported by prototheme.gr, the three Turkish nationals involved in the Thessaloniki incident are believed to be affiliated with the notorious Dalton gang, which maintains a significant presence in Turkey with a focus on drug trafficking and extortion. In Greece, their operations appear to be primarily limited to drug-related activities.

This same gang is also linked to other violent incidents, including the September 2023 murders of six individuals in Lutsa and the killing of a Turkish man at Thessaloniki’s bus station last February. These events underscore the gang’s extensive reach and the violent methods they employ to maintain their criminal enterprises.

Greek authorities continue to prioritize border security and intelligence efforts to dismantle these criminal networks, aiming to prevent further violence and curb their influence within the country.