ATHENS: Hellenic Police (ELAS) reported the arrest of five migrant smugglers in two separate operations in Thessaloniki, in northern Greece here the other day.
The five perpetrators were planning to help a total of 53 migrants to illegally cross Greece’s northern border with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
In the first case, the smugglers were planning to transport 18 migrants from Syria and Afghanistan in two passenger cars to an undisclosed location in FYROM. Another car with two other members of the ring was to follow. Each person involved in the operation would get 1,000 euros.
In the second case, an intercity bus driver attempted to transport 35 migrants from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan to the border, an hour’s drive from Thessaloniki, at 50 euros each in order for them to cross the border themselves.
