A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for leading what Greek media have dubbed the “donut mafia in Halkidiki”- a criminal network that used violence and intimidation to control the sale of loukoumades (Greek-style donuts) on popular beaches.
The Thessaloniki Court of Appeal found the man guilty of repeated extortion and criminal association, among other misdemeanour charges. He was remanded to prison immediately and was not granted any mitigating factors or a suspended sentence pending appeal.
The investigation revealed that, beginning in May 2021, the group forced street vendors- often foreign nationals- to sell up to 600 loukoumades a day, earning just €0.50 per sale, while the group reaped profits of €500–600 daily. Vendors bought each donut for €0.50 and sold them for €2, effectively generating large-scale cash profits under exploitative conditions.
The gang divided up Halkidiki’s beaches, enforcing their control with violence when territory lines were crossed, earning them the moniker “donut mafia in Halkidiki”. In one 2021 incident in Nikiti, four individuals allegedly attacked a Georgian vendor with stones and gunfire after a turf dispute. They reportedly fled when locals came out of their homes.
The defendant had also faced more serious charges- including attempted murder and human trafficking- but was acquitted of both. Eleven other individuals were tried in connection with the case; most were acquitted, and others received suspended or converted sentences.
Defence lawyers argued the case was exaggerated by authorities, and the court ultimately downgraded some organised crime charges to misdemeanours.
Still, the harsh sentence for the ringleader sends a clear message: Halkidiki’s beach business may be sweet, but it’s not above the law.
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