[thesoftdrugbaron]

ATHENS, Greece: Three policemen were injured, one critically, Sunday evening, when they were ambushed by gunmen on the island of Crete, police said.

The three were part of an operation to arrest marijuana growers in the resort village of Malades, 9 miles (15 kilometers) south of Heraklion, Crete's largest city.

At 8:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT), the police patrol was attacked by people armed with assault rifles, most likely AK-47s, police said. The three police officers were taken to a hospital in Heraklion.

Greek police chief Vassilis Tsiatouras ordered a detachment of special forces and officers from the narcotics and homicide divisions to leave immediately for Crete in the wake of the shootings.

Gun ownership, regarded as part of traditional Cretan culture, remains widespread on the island despite attempts by police to crack down on it.

Cannabis growing is rife in remote mountain villages, and drug gangs frequently open fire on police helicopters or cars patrolling their areas.

Last November, a large convoy of policemen was ambushed near the village of Zoniana, leading to a major police operation and dozens of arrests.

At a meeting of top policemen last month, Tsiatouras pointed at statistics showing increased crime in Crete and singled out police chiefs from the island for criticism, telling them to do more to combat crime, especially drug-related robberies and theft.