The Greek (The Wire)
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| The Greek | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| First appearance | Ebb Tide (episode 2.01) |
| Last appearance | Port in a Storm (episode 2.12) |
| Cause/Reason | Left Baltimore pre-empting a police investigation |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 70s |
| Occupation | International smuggling/Organized Crime Boss |
| Episode count | 8 |
| Portrayed by | Bill Raymond |
| Created by | David Simon |
The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Bill Raymond. He only appeared in the second season.
[edit] Biography
"The Greek" is a mysterious figure involved in numerous criminal activities. His given name is never said on the show, and though he is known only as "The Greek", he has stated (in the episode Port in a Storm) that he is not actually Greek. His background and ethnicity are never overtly identified, although his vodka drinking habits, accent, and the make-up of his organization strongly suggest an eastern European background. He seems fluent in English, Greek, and Turkish. He is a quiet and unassuming man, but is cunning and ruthless and only interested in facts that make him more money. Anyone interfering in this process is eliminated immediately, and his signature style is to leave victims headless and handless to hinder identification. His organization operated from a small diner in Baltimore for years.
The Greek's smuggling operation includes importing sex trade workers, illicit drugs, stolen goods and chemicals for drug processing. He operates all of his business through Spiros Vondas maintaining a barrier between himself and his associates. He bribes union Stevedores to move containers through the Baltimore port for him and uses his muscle, "Sergei", to run containers back and forth from the port to his warehouse, a front managed by "Double G" Glekas. The Greek supplies the major drug dealers in East Baltimore, especially Proposition Joe, using Eton Ben-Eleazer to move his drugs. He is also affiliated with smaller drug dealing organizations like those run by "White Mike" McArdle. His sex trade interests in Baltimore include a brothel run by a madam named Ilona. He manages to avoid prosecution because a corrupt FBI agent named Koutris tips him off if anybody gets too close.
The Greek began to draw police attention in Baltimore when his contact at the docks, Frank Sobotka, became the target of an investigation. At the same time a container of dead young women intended for the sex trade was discovered at the docks, triggering a high profile homicide investigation. The container belonged to The Greek and the girls were killed by a crewman onboard the vessel that had delivered them. The ship's crew had been paying the girls for sex and when one of the girls refused, she was killed. The crewman responsible dumped her overboard and collapsed the air pipe to kill the remaining women. The Greek tracked the crewman down, interrogated him, and had him killed. Sergei was responsible for finding the man but it was Vondas who killed him.
The police investigation linked the murder to Sergei, and the drug operation to Eton and White Mike. The port smuggling was thoroughly investigated; when police began tracking containers as they left the port, The Greek and Vondas began to close down the operation temporarily and leave Baltimore. The Greek learned this that Sobotka offered to co-operate with the police and had him killed. Frank's nephew, Nick Sobotka, was able to identify The Greek and Vondas for the police, but had no further information. Before leaving Baltimore Vondas met with Proposition Joe to confirm that they could continue to supply him keeping some of The Greek's business interests alive in the city. Aware that The Greek and Vondas were gone, the police left the investigation behind and moved on.
Later Proposition Joe entered into a bargain with other drug dealers, called the New Day Co-Op, to provide The Greek's product to them in exchange for reduced violence and sharing of territory. As Vondas has since returned to Baltimore, it can be inferred that The Greek is back as well.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Character profile - The Greek. HBO (2004). Retrieved on 2006-08-16.
