The Internal Affairs Service of the Greek Police has raided seven land registry office in Attica and northern Greece on Tuesday morning to dismantle a group of employees and individuals involved in bribery, corruption and other offenses.
As the operation is still ongoing in the afternoon, so far a total of 9 people have been arrested, that is six employees and three private persons.
Among the offices under investigation were land registry offices of Attica, Athens, Piraeus, Halandri and Kavala (northern Greece).
Citing police sources, media reported that the activities of the accused relate to expediting procedures regarding citizens’ assets and the three individuals were allegedly intermediaries who bribed the employees on behalf of others.
The “gang” required larger or smaller amounts of money, the so-called “Speed-Fee” from citizens to approve legal requests for transfers and other real estate transactions.
It is recalled that the digitalization of the Cadastre had brought to light last November the activities of a different “gang” that attempted to acquire real estate, in which individuals from Northern Greece were allegedly involved who who attempted to appropriate plots of land of enormous value.
That “gang” attempted to declare through (false) “use” 45 top properties of a total area of over 550,000 sq.m. on three islands of the Saronic Gulf, that is Agistri, Spetses and Hydra. The “gang” consisting of citizens and professionals attempted the registration of the properties with forged documents.
After state authorities filed an indictment, the persons involved had submitted subsequently amended E9 -property declarations to tax office- statements, as well as sworn statements from the same specific persons who reside in northern Greece and declared under oath that these properties belong to the specific citizen. These sworn statements were even drawn up before the same notary who is also based in northern Greece.
Corruption in the country’s Land Registry and Urban Planning offices has been known across Greece since Noah stepped foot on dry land. Authorities have only to check employees’ assets. However, it’s a matter of political will.