Operation “Astrolabio”: How did the network of trafficking of migrants from Turkey to Italy, through Greece – View map

A transnational migrant criminal organization was dismantled as part of a joint operation.

The operation codenamed “ASTROLABIO” was carried out under the coordination of EUROPOL and EUROJUST, with the participation of police and judicial authorities of Greece, Italy and Albania.

The whole company is part of the implementation of the National Business Plan (NCS) and the EMPACT program, to combat illegal immigration, led by our country

The Hellenic Police, through the Department of Immigration Management of the Directorate of Foreigners of Attica, participated in a large-scale joint operational action, in the framework of which the transnational circuit of illegal trafficking of migrants was achieved, from Turkey to Italy, through Greece and other countries. European countries.

The dismantling is the result of many months of cooperation between the police and judicial authorities of Greece, Italy and Albania, under the coordination of EUROPOL and EUROJUST.

In particular, as the investigations showed, the members of the criminal organization joined it at least from the beginning of 2020, having an operationally structured and continuous transnational action, from which they earned huge sums of money. In fact, in order to achieve their goal, they had set up groups, which were active on a case-by-case basis in Turkey, Greece, Italy and Albania, while maintaining close cooperation between them.

In more detail and in terms of their mode of action, it emerged that:

• The leading member of the group that was active in our country, was a foreign resident living abroad, who organized the illegal promotions using boats in Greece and was a liaison with the respective group in Italy.
• The group in Albania was active in the movement of migrants from our country to Albania, bound for Italy. For this purpose, he collaborated with a foreigner, a resident of Thessaloniki, who undertook the organization of migrant movements using a car. cars. Each traveler paid a sum of money ranging from 4,500 to 5,000 euros, which they paid in shops – showcases (HAWALA system).
• The group in Turkey, specialized in the mass promotion of immigrants from Turkey to Greece and Italy, using boats / sailboats with a transportation cost of 5,000 euros per person. Their characteristic activity was the recruitment and training of ship operators, who came mainly from Ukraine.
• The team members in Italy kept in touch with key team members in other countries. They mainly coordinated the final stage of illegal smuggling (reception and concealment of migrants on Italian soil) as well as the organization of further movements from Italy to other European countries, mainly the Netherlands and Austria. They also organized the escape and the care of the pilots of the boats, who carried out the illegal promotions.

The material gathered showed the involvement of the transnational criminal network in at least 13 cases, gaining financial benefits in excess of 3,500,000 euros.

Of the above cases, in at least five cases the vessels used were stolen from areas of western Greece. In fact, the members of the group that were active in our country, in order to maximize their profits, boarded large numbers of migrants in the boats they used, which did not bring lifeboats, while the traffickers, in order to avoid their capture, left them unruly at sea.

With these methods they created conditions especially dangerous for the lives of the migrants under promotion, while possible human losses were avoided due to the immediate intervention of the Port Authorities of Greece and Italy, which collected and rescued the migrants.

During the Joint Day of Action, which took place yesterday (January 19, 2022), a total of 29 people were arrested, of which 1 in our country, 18 in Albania and 10 in Italy.

Also, 28 searches were carried out in places, of which 2 in stores in our country.

As it turned out, one store operated as a HAWALLA office, where the immigrants deposited the pre-agreed amounts. During the searches in the stores, 400 packs of cigarettes and 45 packs of tobacco were found and confiscated, which did not have a tax and tariff tape, 2 computers, 2 mobile phones, a small amount of drugs, 3,730 euros as well as a number of handwritten notes.

It is noted that, during the investigations in our country, 13 people were arrested, who turned out to be pilots or crew members of boats that were carrying out illegal smuggling of migrants. From these for 6 it emerged that they are members of the transnational circuit. Also, 6 more people with an organizational role in the group that were active in our country have been identified, of which 2 have already been arrested.

A criminal case was filed against all those involved for the – where appropriate – offenses of forming and joining a criminal organization that sought to facilitate the entry and exit of third-country nationals, without fulfilling the legal formalities by profession and speculation.

On the day of the Joint Action in our country, representatives of the Italian authorities participated as observers, while the operation was supported by a mobile data analysis unit (mobile office) of EUROPOL.

The whole operation is part of the implementation of the National Business Plan (NCS) and the EMPACT program, to combat illegal immigration, led by our country, while at the operational level developed close cooperation with the Greek Port Authorities .

More information about the company can be found on the Europol website:
https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/29-arrested-in-albania-greece-and-italy-for-smuggling-more-1-100-migrants-in-yachts

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