More than a dozen arrested over migrant smuggling in northern Greece
Authorities have arrested 13 people accused of working with migrant-smuggling networks after they were allegedly caught transporting a total of 56 migrants through northern Greece, police said on Friday.
Most of the arrests took place near Greece's northeastern land border with Turkiye in the Evros (Meriç( region. One suspect was arrested near Thessaloniki after police found two migrants hidden in the luggage compartment of a car.
Most of those arrested were foreign nationals. Police said as many as nine migrants were found in a single vehicle, although most cars carried fewer passengers.
Thousands cross Meriç (Evros) route
Despite a border fence along the Meriç (Evros) region, thousands of migrants continue to enter Greece through the area after paying smugglers, seeking to travel farther into Europe.
More than 4,600 people have been detected crossing the land border so far this year, according to authorities.
Nearly 20,000 undocumented migrants have reached Greece since Jan. 1, with slightly more than half arriving by sea in small boats from eastern Libya.
The number of arrivals across Greece in 2025 was nearly 49,000.
More than 100 migrants arrive in Crete
Meanwhile, more than 100 migrants reached the southern coast of Crete overnight after crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa in two small boats.
The Coast Guard said 47 men, three women and seven children were found early Friday on the beach of Elygia near Aghios Ioannis and transferred to the northern port of Iraklio.
Late Thursday, another group of 47 men, four women and seven children was rescued near Tsoutsoura after arriving by boat.
An 18-year-old Sudanese national from the second group was arrested on suspicion of piloting the boat from the Tobruk area of eastern Libya on behalf of a migrant-smuggling network.
About 10,000 people have reached Crete from Libya so far this year, accounting for roughly half of all migrant arrivals in Greece.
Source:Kathimerini
