A 25-year-old man was shot dead on the steps leading to Strefi Hill in Exarcheia, Athens, in what authorities say is the...

A 25-year-old man was shot dead on the steps leading to Strefi Hill in Exarcheia, Athens, in what authorities say is the 14th killing linked to the Turkish mafia operating inside Greece in roughly four years. Beyond the killings, police have recorded nearly 12 additional attempted murders tied to the same network, painting a picture of an organized criminal war playing out across Greek cities. The victim arrived in Greece in 2024 and applied for political asylum, claiming to be anti-government. According to authorities, this is a standard tactic used by Turkish mob figures entering Greece. Since the failed coup attempt in Turkey, mafia members have routinely crossed the border using the asylum system as cover to escape internal gang conflicts. Despite being flagged twice by police for identity checks, nothing incriminating had surfaced. The address he listed in Exarcheia turned out to be false. Neighbors say they saw him regularly walking a pet in the area, and police believe his actual residence will soon be identified. Surveillance footage obtained by investigators shows the killing was not random. The shooter and the victim had apparently arranged to meet. The two men exchanged words before the attacker drew a pistol, shot him in the face, and fired a coup de grace. The forensic examiner found at least five wounds, two of them to the head. Five 9mm shell casings were recovered at the scene. Turkish records on the victim tell a different story than the asylum claim. He had an extensive criminal file in Turkey, with charges including robbery, theft, arms trafficking, and attempted murder. Previous Turkish mafia killings in Greece have taken place in Piraeus, central Athens, Anavyssos, Petralona, Loutsa, Glyfada, Kypseli, and Thessaloniki. #Greece #TurkishMafia #Exarcheia