Large migrant smuggling ring from Turkey to Greece dismantled by EL.AS: fleet of 271 cars, profits of millions of euros

A criminal organization that illegally trafficked immigrants from Türkiye to Greece, which made more than 2.7 million euros in profits, the Greek police were dismantled.

The network had a total of 271 legitimate vehicles using licenses from “straw man” items.

According to the EL.AS announcement, the organization has been active in the illegal occupational promotion of immigrants from Turkey to Greece, with the aim of obtaining an illegal financial benefit.

After the operation that took place yesterday, Thursday, in Omonia, Illion and Kato Patisia, five members of the ring, including the leader, were identified and arrested.

They are two foreigners between the ages of 46 and 28 and three citizens between the ages of 48, 57 and 60.

They have been sued for

• creation and membership of a criminal organization,
• smuggling of migrants,
• forgery,
• Usurpation of false testimony
• Money laundering.

The arrested members of the ring were accused of specialized individual criminal activity supporting the promotion of immigrants from Turkey to Greece, Ensure the successful passage of vehicles that transported immigrants from the border to Athens.

network eHe built a large fleet of vehicles consisting of 271 vehicles Vehicles with legal circulation, immediately available for the transport of immigrants, during the transport of each immigrant They got 2,000 euros.

How did they manage to display the car fleet as “legal”.

1. The main member (46 years old) identified vehicles, between the ages of 10 and 15, of medium displacement and capacity (sedan and SUV type) and appeared as a buyer in the physical presence of sellers (individuals or dealers), making purchases and sales for cash.
2. After the seller agrees to go ahead with the sale, he delegates one of the three members of the organization to act as the executor of the transfer.
3. Meanwhile, other members of the organization were preparing the necessary identification documents (foreigners’ identity card, residence permit, responsible permits and permissions) in the “straw man” elements.
4. The members, as supposed transport agents, went to the relevant departments of the Transport Directorates and submitted false identification documents, deceiving the services and exploiting an empty circular in the details of non-existent persons.

In this way, a non-existent tax entity that owns a number of registration licenses related to “moving” vehicles, that is, not immobilized or stolen, was created so as not to arouse suspicion in the event of an audit.

• The debts arising from traffic taxes on the organization’s vehicles have not been settled, because they match fictitious VAT figures, while the total amount owed for 2023 amounted to 112,950 euros.

Also, in some cases, the vehicles used to smuggle migrants were sold at twice the price to other traffic departments, as “clean”, while the total sales profit exceeded €2,700,000.

In total, as part of police operations in northern Greece, 44 vehicles used to smuggle at least 190 migrants from Turkey to Greece were seized.

The criminal organization, with the aim of attracting immigrant youth, posted it on social media Video materials with screenshots while in traffic using their vehicles.

Through searches carried out in three shops (conversion processing offices, etc.)

• 19 identity cards,
• 7 Fake EU Citizens Registration Certificates,
• 41 Fake EU Citizen Certificate Samples In Preparation,
• 2 fake residence permit

• two fake foreign driver’s licenses,
• a number of supporting documents and false responsible statements,
• 3 fake round stamps,
• 2 stamp with employee details,
• 6 mobile phones,
• laptop,
• 13,650 euros and
• 6 vehicles.

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