He was arrested by DI.AS Group after a chase in the center of Athens, a 17-year-old trafficker who was caught transporting piled (12) irregular migrants in a car, who had been pushed on the same day from the border with North Macedonia.

More specifically, morning hours yesterday (13/2) patrolling police officers of the Immediate ActionDI.AS Team, called a car driver who was driving on Stratigou Kallari street in the center of Athens to be checked, because they considered the presence of many people inside it suspicious.

The driver did not comply with the instructions of the policesped up, maneuvering towards Acharnon Street, with the police officers following the car in front from a sufficient safety distance, constantly calling the driver to stop the vehicle using a beacon and sound signals.

Then, after the vehicle was brought to a stop on Acharnon Street, during the inspection it was found that the driver was carrying a load of (12) foreigners of the same nationality, (8) women and (4) men. It should be noted that three of them were found in the baggage area.

Subsequently, they were taken to the headquarters of the Directorate of Aliens of Attica and the Department of Immigration Management was charged with preliminary investigation.

At the expense of the driver (17-year-old foreigner), member of a migrant smuggling ring, a case file was filed for facilitating entry into Greek territory for profit, transportation of foreigners to the interior and non-compliance. Furthermore, he was identified as his co-accused and is wanted.

How they worked – The “tariff”

As it emerged from the research, the 17-year-old received the immigrantsearly morning hours of the same day (13-2-2024) near the border line of our country with North Macedonia in order to forward them to Athens.

Immigrants entered our country in two subgroups. The first subgroup consisting of (4) men was initially located in Serbia, then transported by road to North Macedonia until they boarded the car of the above trafficker. For the transaction in question, they paid the sum of -1,700- euros each.

The second subgroup of (8) women arrived in our country likewise through North Macedonia, while previously they had been forwarded from Cyprus to Serbia, paying the sum of -3,500- euros each.

Yet, the circuit asked them to declare whether they wished to be promoted further in France and in a positive case, the sum of -3,500- euros was additionally required.

From the Department of Immigration Management, which handled the case, the registration-mapping process for the (12) immigrants was initiatedin order to implement their return to their country of origin.

The car was seized as a means of transporting illegal immigrants.

the trafficker, with the case filed against himwas taken to the Athens District Attorney.