Greek police in Thessaloniki have arrested two Pakistani nationals suspected of being the ringleaders of a gang that kept 13 migrants locked in a warehouse for ransom.
Their ordeal was uncovered when three of the hostages managed to escape and alert the police.
The migrants — from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh — had illegally crossed into Greece from Turkey.
They were led by smugglers to the two suspects on the promise that they would get forged identity documents to travel onwards into Europe.
Instead, they were imprisoned at the warehouse in the town of Nea Magnisia, near Thessaloniki.
They were forced to hand over their money and their mobile phones, while the suspects allegedly demanded a ransom from relatives to free them.
The two suspects, aged 62 and 17, have been charged with abduction, robbery and extortion.
According to police, other suspects belonging to the gang are still at large.
Source: Tasos Kokkinidis/greekreporter.com
