Officers of the Narcotics Prosecution Subdirectorate, working jointly with the smuggling-prosecution department of the customs office at Athens International Airport ‘Eleftherios Venizelos’, located and seized a large quantity of raw cannabis at the airport.[1] According to the Hellenic Police, abbreviated in the account as EL.AS, the officers acted after making use of information they had received.[1] No arrested people, suspects or charges are named in the account.[1][2]

The seizure was made in August 2026 and totalled 207 kilograms and 466 grams of raw cannabis.[1][2][3] Officers found 48 cardboard boxes placed on two pallets inside a temporary goods-storage warehouse, and those boxes proved to contain that cannabis.[1][3]

Investigators traced the route of the pallets, which had apparently started by air from Thailand.[1][2][3] The accompanying documents for the shipment had declared the cargo as clothing.[1][2][3] Police estimated that the expected financial gain from further trafficking of the seized cannabis would approach 1,000,000 euros.[1][2][3] The investigation was continuing so that the case could be fully examined.[1]

The Ekathimerini account explicitly notes that it was unclear why the August seizure was announced more than two months later.[2]

The pallets travelled by air from Thailand to Athens via Qatar.[3] The cannabis was found on 19 August 2026 in the Goldair company’s temporary goods-storage warehouse at Eleftherios Venizelos airport.[3] The sender was listed as a Thailand-based company and the recipient as a company with an address on Evangelistrias street in central Athens.[3] After the seizure officers removed the drugs from the pallets and replaced them with other packages empty of drugs as part of a controlled delivery.[3] No one came forward to collect the load, so the controlled delivery ended without result.[3] A forensic-investigations crew was called to examine the packages and collect evidence that could lead to identification of those involved.[3]