What to Do If Your Business Is Raided in Greece, Step‑by‑step (2026 Update)

Knowing how to respond to a business raid in Greece can determine whether a company preserves its legal rights or inadvertently damages its own defence. Under the Code of Criminal Procedure (N. 4620/2019), as amended, Greek police, public prosecutors and specialised enforcement units may search corporate premises, seize documents and electronic devices, and, in some cases, arrest directors or employees on the spot. This guide provides an immediate, step-by-step corporate raid checklist for in-house counsel, company directors and compliance officers operating in Greece during the 2026 enforcement cycle. It covers who may authorise a search, what can be seized, how to protect legal privilege, the timeline for challenging seizures, and the key legislative changes that took effect in 2025–2026.

Overview of the business raid process and who it applies to

A business raid, formally a search and seizure (έρευνα και κατάσχεση), is the entry by law-enforcement officers into corporate premises to locate and secure evidence of a criminal offence. In Greece, the legal framework governing this process is found primarily in N. 4620/2019 (the Code of Criminal Procedure), which replaced the former Code and was further refined by Law 5232/2025 and subsequent amendments.

A search of business premises generally requires a judicial warrant (ένταλμα έρευνας) issued by the competent examining judge or judicial council. However, in cases of urgency, where there is a well-founded suspicion that evidence may be destroyed, the public prosecutor or, in limited circumstances, police officers acting on prosecutorial orders may initiate a search without a prior warrant, subject to subsequent judicial ratification. The warrant must specify the premises, the suspected offence and the scope of the search.

Companies of any size, nationality or sector may be subject to a raid. The procedure applies equally to offices, warehouses, server rooms and off-site storage facilities. For businesses operating in Greece through a branch or subsidiary, the rules apply to local premises; data held on servers abroad may be the subject of separate mutual legal assistance requests.

Who may attend the raid

• Hellenic Police officers, general criminal-investigation units or specialised squads (e.g., Financial Police / DI.DI.NA.L, cyber-crime division).
• Public prosecutor or deputy prosecutor, may attend personally, particularly in complex economic-crime investigations.
• Tax inspectors, officers of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) may accompany police during tax-fraud raids.
• Digital forensics teams, increasingly present where electronic evidence is a primary target.
• Customs or anti-money-laundering officials, in smuggling, sanctions-evasion or AML cases.

Eligibility and prerequisites for a lawful search

Before investigators may lawfully enter and search a business, several prerequisites must be met. Understanding these conditions is critical because a search conducted outside its lawful scope may be challenged, and evidence obtained unlawfully may be excluded.

Warrant versus consent

The standard requirement is a written judicial warrant that names the suspect or suspects, the offence under investigation, the specific premises to be searched and the categories of items to be seized. If officers arrive without a warrant but claim consent, the company representative should be aware that consent must be given freely and recorded in writing. There is no obligation to consent, and doing so waives certain procedural protections. As a practical matter, legal counsel should be consulted before any consent is given.

Presence of a prosecutor

For searches conducted at professional or business premises, the presence of a prosecutor or the prosecutor’s written authorisation is generally required under the Code of Criminal Procedure. If neither is available, the company representative should note the absence in writing and inform external counsel immediately.

Role of corporate counsel

Greek law recognises the right of the person whose premises are being searched to have their lawyer present. This right applies to the company itself (through its legal representative) and to any individual suspect among its personnel. The search may proceed if counsel does not arrive within a reasonable time, but officers should allow a genuine opportunity for counsel to attend. Knowing these prerequisites prepares the ground for the immediate actions described in the step-by-step procedure below.

How to respond to a business raid in Greece, step‑by‑step procedure

The following numbered steps form the core corporate raid checklist. Each step identifies who is responsible and what to do. Every action should be documented, contemporaneous notes made during a police raid at a business in Greece are among the most valuable materials for any subsequent legal challenge.

Step 1, Secure safety and continuity, call external counsel, record arrival

Ensure the physical safety of all staff. Do not obstruct officers. Immediately contact external criminal defence counsel by telephone; provide the name of the lead officer, the apparent scope of the search and the time of arrival. Simultaneously notify the board or CEO. Designate one senior manager as the single point of contact for all investigator interactions. Begin a written log, record the exact time officers entered, the number of officers present and the stated basis for the search.

Step 2, Inspect the warrant, confirm the identity of officers and note the scope

Ask the lead officer for the original search warrant and a copy for the company. Verify:

• The issuing authority (examining judge, judicial council or prosecutor).
• The named suspects and the offence under investigation.
• The specific premises and rooms authorised to be searched.
• The categories of items or data that may be seized.

Request and record the full names, badge numbers and service IDs of all attending officers. If officers attempt to search rooms or areas not specified in the warrant, politely note the objection in writing and inform counsel. Do not physically block access, record the objection and proceed.

Step 3, Protect legal privilege and privileged materials

Identify any files, folders, email accounts or devices that contain communications between the company and its lawyers. Under Greek law, attorney–client communications are protected, and seizing privileged material may be challenged. Present a legal privilege log listing the files or categories of material covered by privilege. State clearly: “These materials are subject to legal professional privilege. We request that they be sealed and referred to the examining judge for a ruling before any inspection.” Do not hand over privileged files without this assertion. If investigators refuse to seal, record the refusal in writing and photograph the materials taken.

Step 4, Preserve and label evidence; appoint an internal custodian

Instruct IT staff not to switch off, unplug, delete, overwrite or tamper with any electronic devices. If possible, isolate network segments to prevent remote access or deletion by third parties, but do not power down running servers. Appoint an internal evidence custodian, typically a senior IT or compliance officer, to shadow the investigators’ steps and note every device, folder or document they access. Where investigators image hard drives or servers, request that a forensic copy also be made available to the company. If the company has a pre-arranged relationship with a forensic imaging vendor, contact them immediately to attend.

Step 5, Record the chain of custody and obtain receipts for all seized items

Greek criminal procedure requires officers to prepare a formal inventory of seized items (πρωτόκολλο κατάσχεσης). Insist on receiving a signed copy. For each item, verify the description matches what was actually taken, serial numbers, device types, document folder labels, accounting periods covered. If the official inventory is incomplete or vague, prepare your own parallel inventory on the spot. Photograph every item before it leaves the premises. This record is essential for any subsequent application to challenge a seizure in Greece or to request the return of specific items.

Step 6, Post‑raid immediate actions

Within 24–72 hours of the raid, take the following steps with external counsel:

• Compare the company’s inventory against the official seizure protocol and identify discrepancies.
• Issue an internal incident notice to relevant departments (legal, finance, HR, IT) with instructions on document preservation.
• Instruct all employees that they must not discuss the raid with third parties, must not destroy or alter any documents, and must direct all enquiries to external counsel.
• Assess whether any director or employee is at personal risk of arrest and prepare for potential questioning, no employee should attend a formal interview without legal representation.
• If a director or employee was arrested during the raid, engage counsel to attend the arraignment, apply for bail or conditional release, and, if the individual is a foreign national, notify the relevant consulate.

Required documents and information, corporate raid checklist

The following table sets out the key documents that will feature during or immediately after a search and seizure in Greece. Preparing these in advance, or knowing where to find them quickly, dramatically reduces confusion and risk during a live raid.

Where investigators request documents not covered by the warrant scope, note the request, provide the documents only on counsel’s advice, and record the disclosure. Template language for a privilege assertion and for confirming receipt of seized items should be prepared in advance as part of the company’s standing raid-response protocol.

Timeline and key deadlines for challenging a seizure in Greece

One of the most common questions after a police raid on a business in Greece is: how long does a seizure last, and what are the deadlines for getting items back? The Code of Criminal Procedure does not impose a single fixed retention period for all seized items. Instead, retention depends on the stage of the investigation, the nature of the evidence and whether the company applies for return.

Where the company believes that a seizure exceeds the scope of the warrant or that items were taken unlawfully, the primary remedy is an application before the competent examining judge or the judicial council. The application should set out the specific items, explain why their retention is disproportionate or unlawful, and request their immediate return or, at minimum, the provision of copies to the company so that business operations can continue.

Items that are not relevant to the investigation may be returned on the investigator’s own initiative or upon the prosecutor’s order. However, in practice, companies should not rely on voluntary return, a formal written request, followed by a judicial application if necessary, is the most effective route. All deadlines and procedural requirements should be verified against N. 4620/2019 and any applicable amendments, as timelines are case-specific and may be affected by court workload.

Costs, fees and tax considerations

A business raid triggers both direct legal costs and indirect financial consequences. The table below summarises indicative cost categories. Actual amounts depend on the complexity of the investigation, the volume of seized material and the firm engaged.

From a tax perspective, seized cash or financial instruments may need to be disclosed in corporate accounts and reported to the tax authorities. Seized accounting records may hamper the company’s ability to file timely tax returns, in such cases, notify the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) in writing and request an extension. Consult a tax adviser familiar with Greece-specific corporate obligations at the earliest opportunity.

What changed in 2025–2026, key legal updates for businesses

The 2025–2026 period brought several legislative changes that affect how to respond to a business raid in Greece. The most significant include:

• Law 5232/2025. This law introduced amendments relevant to sanctions-related offences and expanded the catalogue of economic crimes subject to enhanced investigative measures. For businesses, the practical effect is a broader range of circumstances under which premises may be searched and electronic data seized, particularly in cases involving alleged EU sanctions evasion.
• Amendments to electronic-evidence handling. Updated provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure now place greater emphasis on forensic integrity when seizing digital devices. Early indications suggest that investigators are increasingly required to image devices on-site rather than remove entire servers, although practice varies between jurisdictions and units.
• Expanded corporate liability. Industry observers expect the cumulative effect of recent amendments to increase the number of business-crime investigations targeting legal entities directly, not only individual directors, making corporate raid preparedness more important than at any point in the preceding decade.

Companies operating in Greece should review their raid-response protocols against these changes and ensure that their internal teams and external counsel are briefed on the expanded investigative toolkit available to prosecutors.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Employees deleting data. In a panic, staff may attempt to delete emails or files. This can constitute obstruction of justice. Fix: instruct all staff immediately that no data may be altered or deleted; isolate network segments to prevent remote deletion but keep devices powered on.
• Handing over privileged material without review. Surrendering lawyer–client communications undermines legal privilege. Fix: present a privilege log; request that disputed files be sealed and referred to the examining judge.
• Allowing unauthorised full-drive copying. Investigators may attempt to clone entire drives, including material outside the warrant scope. Fix: have counsel present to negotiate the imaging protocol and ensure only relevant data is captured.
• Failing to obtain an official inventory. Without a signed πρωτόκολλο κατάσχεσης, proving what was taken, and challenging its retention, becomes difficult. Fix: insist on a signed inventory; prepare a parallel record and photograph all items.
• Managers giving unvetted statements. Informal comments to investigators can become part of the evidential record. Fix: adopt a standing policy that no employee speaks to investigators about substantive matters without legal counsel present.
• Ignoring the warrant scope. Companies sometimes assume investigators have unlimited authority. Fix: read the warrant carefully; note and object to any search activity that goes beyond the stated scope.
• Neglecting post-raid preservation. After officers leave, the instinct is to “get back to normal.” Fix: issue a company-wide litigation-hold notice and preserve all related documents and communications.
• Delaying engagement of external counsel. Some companies wait until after the raid to seek advice. Fix: call counsel the moment officers arrive, minutes matter for privilege protection and inventory accuracy.

Sources

1. Greek Code of Criminal Procedure (N. 4620/2019), e-nomothesia.gr
2. Ministry for Citizen Protection (Ministry of Civil Protection), minocp.gov.gr
3. Hellenic Police, astynomia.gr
4. Ministry of Justice, Seizure and Confiscation Guidance, opengov.gr
5. Hellenic Parliament, Consolidated Code Documentation