“Hit” EL.AS in a circuit: How immigrants were brought from Turkey – Up to 10,000 euros the “tariff”

A criminal organization active in the trafficking of immigrants and forgery of travel documents was dismantled by the Athens Security Sub-Directorate of the Attica Security Directorate.

According to the Hellenic Police, a case was filed by the above service against 58 people, members of the organization, 28 of whom (22 foreigners and 6 locals) were arrested, after a large-scale police operation that took place yesterday (16/6) in various areas of Attica.

A criminal case was filed against the above defendants for the criminal organization, forgery and forgery of certificates by profession, by conspiracy and continuance and violations of the Law on Aliens, on the prevention and suppression of money laundering by criminal activities and and social inclusion.

In addition, A national arrested person is accused of bribing an employee, while everyone, except the above-mentioned national, is accused of bribing an employee.

According to the pre-investigation investigation, the defendants, at least by the middle of 2021, formed a criminal organization with a structured and continuous action, with a hierarchical structure and the sole purpose of obtaining illegal property benefits, by facilitating the departure of immigrants from Greece. countries of the European Union, the preparation of forged documents and the acceleration of the issuance of legal documents in exchange for monetary remuneration.

The members of the organization had distinct roles, in terms of finding customers, managing financial guarantees as store owners or employees, managing cash, issuing airline tickets, providing transportation, transportation and training – fraud forged travel documents.

How they work – The “tariffs”

In particular, this criminal organization was active in the preparation of forged travel documents (passports and visas VISA), domestic and foreign authorities, which then sold to immigrants, who lacked travel documents.

They then facilitated their departure from Greece, transporting them illegally to European countries. In particular, they trafficked foreigners from African countries but also from Turkey to Greece and then to various European countries.

In addition to, They sold fake travel documents to interested foreigners, which together with their transfer to and from Greece to various European countries and offering the interested parties a variety of options, cost them from 5,000 – 10,000 euros per person, per case.

In addition, facilitated the issuance of legal documents to various interested foreignersasking and receiving the sum of 500 euros for each alien. In fact, a domestic service employee who was arrestedis accused that in order to speed up the receipt of legal documents by foreigners, asked for and received unfair benefits and in particular the amount of three hundred 300 euros for each foreigner.

It is noted that the members of the organization, during their criminal activity, used to communicate with each other online communication applications, even talking with a specific coding.

In order to receive the monetary reward, from shops – guarantee (HAWALA), they asked the travelers to send them a photo inside the plane, to confirm the transfer.

Finally, they provided the interested foreigners with temporary accommodation until they were “settled”.

As for the way of trafficking of foreigners – immigrants, they used 3 different ways:

A. The first and most widespread means of illegal transportation, from Greece to European Union countries, was via air flights with the main criterion being their country of destination and the use of “similar” passports (LOOK – ALIKE method, where the person depicted resembles the traveler). In addition, the members of the organization performed transports from Asian countries, through Albania, with final destination other European countries. The transfer price per person was costed by 4,500 to 10,000 euros.

Β. The second mode of transport was by sea through Turkey to Rhodes and then transported to Athens by air., having in their possession either a fake travel document or “similar” to the LOOK – ALIKE method. The transfer price per person was costed at -3,200- euros.

Γ. The third way of transporting foreigners – immigrants was their entry into Greece from Albania and then their promotion to other countries of the European Union. The transfer price per person was costed at -3,000- euros.

What was found in the investigations

During the police operation, a total of 51 investigations were carried out, in the presence of 9 court officials, in “kavatzes” houses and in shops where they were found and confiscated:

• 1,010 passports and identity cards of foreign countries
• the total amount of 30,210 euros
• 50 mobile phones
• 9 Ι.Χ.Ε. cars
• 3,500 digital identity document files (passports, IDs, etc.), which are used as matrices for forged travel documents
• 2,500 documents – receipts of money transfers through companies, indicating the transnational character of the organization, having money transfers with a large number of recipients abroad
• In addition, in 3 apartments in the center of Athens and Piraeus, fully equipped laboratories for the preparation of forged documents were located, consisting of computers, printers and high-definition scanners, stamps, USB STICKS, plasticizers, document matrices, stationery, etc. .

Also in an apartment rented by members of the organization, in the area of ​​Piraeus, 12 foreigners – immigrants were located, who were leaving.

From the investigation carried out and the estimated large number of illegal immigrants, the preparation of a large number of forged travel documents and the “facilitation” of the issuance of legal documents, It is estimated that the financial benefit obtained by the organization exceeds 2,450,000 euros.

It is pointed out that the majority of the members of the organization have been busy with the Police and Judicial Authorities repeatedly, for the same as other offenses.

The arrested, with the case against him, were taken to the Athens Public Prosecutor for Misdemeanors.