Galery

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Officers of the Greek police department of internal affairs handcuffed 5 people on charges of immigrants smuggling.

In particular, they detained two retired sailors, aged 67 and 52 respectively, one female bank employee, aged 42, one police sergeant from Attica, aged 50, and one Coast Guard reserve officer, aged 50 too.

Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated against them for organizing, and participating in, a criminal group, violating the law in terms of the entry, residence and social integration of citizens from non-EU countries in Greece as well as for money laundering.

The pre-trial proceedings involve two more people who are still wanted.

They are two brothers aged 45 and 48, nationals of Syria, who are charged with violating the law on drugs.

The defendants had transferred illegal immigrants from Turkey by sea and then subsequently by bus and trucks to different parts of the country, and to other European countries.

For every illegal immigrant the criminal gang received remuneration to the amount of 2,000-3,000 euro.

As stated in the police report, "regarding the allocation of duties, the retired sailor, aged 52, played the role of a chief coordinator and acted on the order of the other sailor, aged 67, who was charged with finding the right vehicle to transport the illegal immigrants and with completing the required procedures. The police sergeant played a warning role during the transportation of illegal immigrants on Greek territory, for which every time he received the sum of 2,000 euro.

The Coast Guard reserve officer was actively involved by providing information on the inspections and patrols of the Coast Guard and by selecting the coastal point from which to carry out the transfer and transportation of immigrants.

The wanted Syrian citizen, aged 48, was responsible for the steering of the vessels used by the gang for the transfer of illegal immigrants."