Greek authorities, in collaboration with French police and Europol, have apprehended a 28-year-old Algerian man suspected of smuggling the pain-relief drug pregabalin from Greece to France.
Over the past three years, the suspect reportedly sourced pregabalin-containing medications from Greek pharmacies and shipped them to various French cities, including Paris. Pregabalin, a drug used to treat epilepsy and anxiety, is known for its potential to induce relaxation and euphoria, making it a target for abuse.
The man was arrested in Athens while attempting to send a package containing over 3,300 pregabalin tablets, according to a police statement. Authorities have confirmed at least 55 similar shipments since 2021. French police have also detained another individual accused of receiving the packages.
This arrest follows a major seizure in March, when Greek coast guards intercepted a British-flagged vessel carrying nearly four million pregabalin tablets. That operation was initiated after intelligence flagged drug-smuggling networks operating in Greece.
