Greek and EU authorities announced that a migrant-trafficking ring smuggling mostly Syrian nationals to Greece via Turkey had been busted with the help of Europol.
Sixteen alleged members of the ring were arrested. They are believed to be from a number of countries that include Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Romania.
The suspects are considered responsible for smuggling 350 irregular migrants to Greece through the islands of Rhodes and Kos near the Turkish coast. After bringing the migrants to Greek territory they were subsequently transported to other EU countries by plane using fake travel documents. Others were hidden in Italy-bound ferry boats.
Police believe the criminal ring is also involved in the trafficking of migrants in Greece to other EU member states.
The price of the transport cost migrants between 4,000 and 9,000 euros depending on the destination and documents required. The ring is believed to have roughly gathered 7.5 million euros for its activities.
EU Migration, Internal Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos praised the policework. He said it was an excellent example of the way in which the EC, the organizations and the member states can carry out more and better actions of fighting illegal human trafficking.
