Ten arrests of migrant-smugglers near Turkish border
Ten suspected members of smuggling gangs have been arrested near Greece’s northeastern border with Turkiye in recent days accused of driving a total of nearly 40 migrants in cars west towards Thessaloniki.
A police statement Sunday said four people were taken into custody a day earlier for carrying a total 14 people away from the border. Two of the suspects were driving the migrants in a taxi.
Over the past three days another six suspected smugglers were detained driving cars with a total 25 people squeezed into them.
Greece is a major entry point for thousands of people from the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Africa trying to emigrate to Europe in search of a better life.
Over 18,500 people have arrived so far this year, departing from Turkiye or Libya, across the Mediterranean Sea. More than 4,400 people have reached Greece by crossing the land border with Turkiye, much of which is protected by a specially-built high fence.
Kathimerini
