A criminal organization was dismantled that recruited foreigners for the purpose of labor exploitation, ensuring their trafficking in our country and channeling them to rural areas of the province.

In particular, the Anti-Trafficking Department of the Organized Crime Sub-Directorate of the Attica Security Directorate dismantled a criminal organization of 9 members that recruited, under the pretext of better financial rewards, foreigners from Asian countries, who were working legally in Romania and after ensuring their trafficking to our country and settling them in intermediate places, took away their travel documents until the alleged repayment of the debt and drove them to rural villages, where they were employed as laborers in seasonal crops.

Five other members of the organization, aged between 33 and 61, have been identified and are being sought

In order to end the activity of the organization, an operational action was planned and implemented that took place on Monday (1-7-2024) in Athens, where a 29-year-old and a 30-year-old compatriot of the exploited foreigners were arrested, while five other members of the organization have been identified and are being sought. aged from 33 to 61 years.

A case file was filed against the members of the organization for criminal organization, human trafficking and violation of the immigration code.

How did they act?

The specific members established the criminal ring and have been active in our country since September 2023 with a methodical way of acting and distinct roles.

With the support of the criminal organization, the foreigners moved by air from Romania to Serbia and then by road to North Macedonia, illegally crossed the land borders of our country and were transported by the members of the organization in their private vehicles with intermediate stations in the center of Athens, where their travel documents were withheld as a means of pressure to repay the debt that had been created by their trafficking and finding work.

The entry of foreigners, who were in a vulnerable position, into Greece was achieved with the assistance of other criminal trafficking groups under the guidance of the 29-year-old woman.

The final destination of the victims was various areas of the province, where they were picked up by supervisors members of the organization who supervised and monitored their movement so that money was channeled to the criminal organization from their labor exploitation.

What was found in the investigations?

In a search carried out in the house of the arrested members, seized travel documents and notes concerning the movements of the foreigners, documents of money transfers from the foreign workers to the organization and the sum of -950- euros were found and confiscated.

One of the victims of trafficking due to his labor exploitation was provided with help and protection by the above service, with the assistance of the Non-Governmental Organizations in matters of human trafficking “A21” and “OUR GREECE”.

Those arrested were taken to the Athens District Attorney.