Greek police bust migrant trafficking ring

Greek police announced on Friday that they have busted a major trafficking ring smuggling migrants from Turkey to Greece, and are conducting a further investigation to trace more suspects.

During an operation in northern Greece and Athens, nine smugglers, five Greeks and four Pakistanis, were arrested, while another Greek national and a Bulgarian, who are now in jail, were identified as leading members of the gang.

Authorities were searching for at least 11 more individuals who are believed to be linked with the case.

According to the police investigation, since last October the gang had smuggled at least 200 migrants and refugees via the Evros river on the Greek-Turkish northern land borderline.

On average the tariff was set at about 3,500-5,000 euros (3,700-5,300 U.S. dollars) per person for the crossing of the river and their accommodation in hideouts.

A parallel investigation was underway to trace the suspect who deceived 10 refugees and left them locked up inside a van at Patras port on Tuesday, it was announced.

Police was alerted by a passerby about people trapped in a vehicle on Wednesday.

The men, most Afghans, said that a man had pledged to transfer them to Italy and then Germany, hid them in the van after charging them 200 euros each.

After the launch of the EU-Turkey deal last March to stem migrant influx via the Aegean Sea, smugglers have turned to Evros region and targeted people stranded in Greece for months.

Nearly 63,000 refugees and migrants are currently in Greece, according to the latest official data released by the Greek Migration Policy ministry on Friday. (1 euro=1.05 U.S. dollars) Enditem