A joint operation between Greek authorities and USA Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) led to a real catch: 26 million drug pills estimated worth 13 million euro were found in a cargo ship hidden among loads of towels and table clothes. The cargo ship had left a port in India and its destination was Libya. The illegal load was reportedly to be distributed among Jihadists fighting for the ISIS as the drugs ‘make them feel invulnerable.

According to Greek media, the operation was carried out by the Greek Department for Narcotics & Weapons of the Financial Crimes Units in cooperation with the US DEA office in Athens.

Pills were hidden in 479 cartons



On May 10th, the ship had a stopover in the port of Piraeus. According to its commodity declaration it was transporting towels, linen-cloths and similar products.

“Once the ship moored in the harbor, the officers of Financial Crime, in cooperation with the customs authorities, carried out an unannounced inspection and found the drugs hidden in cargo containers,” daily Ethnos reports noting that “sources” indicate that the value of the opiate drugs exceed 13 million euro.

It seems that the authorities had obtained some information about the ship before it arrived in the port of Piraeus.

The ship owner is a Libyan company that has been allegedly investigated by authorities also in the past and thus for similar cases. Greek and American agents investigate whether also Greek nationals are involved in the illegal trade.



The load has been seized, the crew arrested.

The name of the ship or of the Libyan company has apparently not been revealed to the media.

According to latest information the active substance of the pills is Tramadol, an opioid pain medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain.

The active substance in the opiate pills known as “the jihadists’ drug” is Captagon. The tiny pill is said to be used by the ISIS and is described as “the fuel in the Syrian war that turns fighters into supermen.”