"The organized crime and human trafficking department, together with the Attica security office, neutralized one of the largest criminal organizations acting as a criminal network and facilitating the illegal entry and exit of foreigners in and out of our country with the final destination in Central Europe," a police spokesperson said.
Nine Pakistani citizens, an Egyptian and an Iraqi citizen, as well as a female Syrian citizen were among the 12 alleged gang members arrested in the northeast Athens suburb of Attica.
Three apartments were discovered to have been fitted with equipment used to forge documents. Police published photographs of hundreds of confiscated fake passports and identification papers.
The intercepted group is believed to have been involved in illegal people trafficking by land, sea and air since at least May, according to law enforcement. Up to six sub-groups have been uncovered in the intricate criminal network.
Additionally, migrants who had not yet been given official registration papers were provided with fake approved asylum request documents on the Greek island of Kos. Moreover, the network helped the migrants travel from Turkey to Greece by sea.
"The members of the criminal network, together with unknown persons living on the Turkish coast, helped transport the foreigners from Istanbul to Bodrum, from where inflatable boats were used to [reach] the islands of the eastern Aegean Sea," according to the police spokesperson.
They added that the criminals provided inflatable boats with enough fuel for the boats to slow down at sea and then for Greek port authorities to safely bring the migrants to Kos themselves.
The Greek police said they were working to identify the criminal group’s accomplices.
Up to 400,000 migrants and refugees, many of whom intending to travel further into Western Europe, have been detected entering Greece this year. Migration has grown considerably over the past three months, despite the European Union’s efforts to combat human trafficking.
