Three policemen from the Heraklion police station were shot and wounded on the evening of Sunday 22 June 2008 after being attacked by hashish growers in the village of Malades, about nine miles south of Heraklion, Crete.[1][2] The officers had been taking part in an operation watching a hashish plantation when unidentified attackers opened fire on them with what was believed to be a Kalashnikov rifle.[1] The patrol was attacked at about 8:30 p.m. local time by people armed with assault rifles, most likely AK-47s.[2]
One officer was shot in the head and was in critical condition, while the other two were hit in the leg and the shoulder; all three underwent surgery at Heraklion Hospital, where the two less seriously hurt officers were stable.[1] Greek police chief Vassilis Tsiatouras ordered a detachment of special forces and officers from the narcotics and homicide divisions to leave immediately for Crete.[2] A police contingent from Athens headed for Malades early on Monday to help with the investigation and a clean-up operation.[1]
The shooting was the second serious attack on police by hash growers on the island in seven months, after three officers were shot and wounded near Zoniana the previous November.[3]
