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Good, the Bad and the Charlie: The Business of Cocaine Smuggling in Greece

NCJ Number
229828
Journal
Global Crime Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2010 Pages: 34-57
Author(s)
Panos A. Kostakos; Georgios A. Antonopoulos
Date Published
February 2010
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This article provides an account of the social organization of the cocaine smuggling business in Greece.
Abstract
This article examines the social organisation of cocaine smuggling in Greece. Emphasis is placed on the involvement of professionals from the shipping industry and actors from the 'upper society echelons' who play a pivotal role in the transportation and importation of cocaine to Western Europe and Greece. After considering empirical evidence from a variety of sources, our findings indicate that the cocaine market in Greece is 'organised' by a system of collaborative relationships between state, business and civil society actors. It is suggested that to better understand the nature of this illegal market, further research is required to take a closer look into the economic, socio-cultural and political incentives of these actors. Figures and tables (Published Abstract)