Florina: 9 policemen in the large migrant trafficking ring

The Greek Police have made official announcements about the migrant trafficking ring in which police officers were involved.

The Internal Affairs Service of the Security Corps of Northern Greece arrested 14 members of the ring, including 7 policemen, serving in a Passport Control Department, while the case file includes a total of 123 people, including 2 other policemen.

«The criminal organisation allegedly carried out more than 1,700 cases of facilitating the entry and exit of foreigners with an estimated benefit of 680,000 euros. Among other things, 463,000 euros, a shotgun and cartridges were seized,» the statement said.

In detail what the ELAS says:

«The Internal Affairs Service of the Security Corps of Northern Greece dismantled a criminal organization that facilitated the entry - exit to and from the country of foreign nationals of third countries without travel documents or with the measure of entry - exit ban and at the same time made false certification on their travel documents.

The dismantling of the criminal organization was carried out in the framework of a large-scale police operation, yesterday, Monday 17 October 2022, during which 14 members of the organization were arrested, including 7 policemen, serving in a Passport Control Department, while the case file included a total of 123 people, including two other policemen, for other offences.

In body searches, searches of residences and places of business, which were carried out, were found and seized:

463,000 euros, 380 Australian dollars, 19 US dollars, 20 Skopje dinars and 8,540 Albanian leks,
511 packets of cigarettes and 17 packets of tobacco, without a special excise duty band,
handwritten notes,
2 passports on which the entry/exit to and from the Greek territory had been falsely certified and
a shotgun and 122 cartridges.

As it emerged from the investigation, the members of the organisation, at least from the year 2020, had formed a criminal organisation with continuous and structured action, having distinct roles and the following modus operandi:
False certification on travel documents, so that the (90) days of legal stay in the Greek territory are not completed.

False attestation on travel documents in cases of foreigners who had already exceeded the maximum duration of their legal stay in the country, without payment of the prescribed administrative penalties.

False attestation on travel documents in cases of aliens against whom administrative deportation/return decisions were pending.
Facilitating the entry and exit to and from the country of foreign nationals of third countries, without travel documents or with a valid measure of prohibition of exit - entry from the country, by not carrying out the required controls.

The members of the criminal organisation, in order to protect their illegal activity, applied counter-surveillance measures, namely:

The commission of false passport attestation by the police officers - members of the organisation took place mainly in the early hours of the morning.

The members used telephone connections that did not correspond to their identity details, but also used online communication applications.

The use of coded and coded terminology, as passports were called «red» or «cherries», «that», «paper», «card», «these», while the payment of unintended economic benefits was called «coffee».

It was found that the members of the organization were involved in at least (77) cases of false certification on travel documents and in at least ten (10) cases of facilitating the exit - entry of citizens to and from Greece, receiving improper benefits ranging from (350) to (700) euros.

From the entire investigation, the criminal organization allegedly carried out more than 1,700 cases of facilitating the entry - exit of foreigners with the benefit estimated at 680,000 euros, with the police officers - members of the organization receiving monthly amounts of 2,000 to 10,000 euros.

A case was filed against the persons involved for the offences of criminal organisation, bribery of an official, bribery of an official, false certification, falsification, abuse of authority, breach of official secrecy, breach of duty and of the laws of the National Customs Code, the Immigration Code, money laundering and weapons.

It is noted that two of the persons involved in the case are also related to a case of smuggling of contraband tobacco products.

Those arrested, with the case against them, were taken to the competent prosecuting authority.».