A North Macedonian national has been placed under investigation and remanded in custody on suspicion of involvement in transporting more than 324 kilograms of marijuana seized in Thessaloniki, Greece. The news was announced today by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Të lidhura
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According to the Prosecutor’s Office, at the end of February this year, the suspect obtained a transport vehicle, followed by a trailer in early March. He then arranged the purported transport of compressed recycled paper from the Republic of North Macedonia to the Republic of Turkey via the Republic of Bulgaria.
After completing customs procedures, on March 8, 2026, the suspect left North Macedonian territory with the vehicle and trailer, heading toward the Republic of Bulgaria. However, instead of continuing his journey to Turkey, he traveled to Greece and left the vehicle and trailer in a rented enclosed facility in Thessaloniki.
During his stay there, he met with two suspects who are facing proceedings in the Republic of Greece. One of them remains beyond the reach of law enforcement authorities. According to the statement, during this meeting the suspect learned of the plan to transport the narcotics further by concealing them in the load of recycled paper.
After the drugs were obtained, two of the suspects, together with other individuals who have yet to be identified, placed the marijuana in spaces previously prepared inside the bales of recycled paper. This took place between August 11 and 14, 2026.
On August 14, 2026, as part of Operation “Vardaris,” Greek police arrested two of the suspects and searched the rented facility. Inside, they found the trailer, from which the license plates had previously been removed. The drugs were discovered in four pallets placed at the rear of the trailer and another four pallets positioned in front of them.
A Kosovar national was also arrested as part of the same operation.
The operation followed a months-long investigation and was made possible through cooperation among the authorities of North Macedonia, Greece and Kosovo.
