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Greece and Italy have been on the frontline of Europe's
migration crisis since it began in 2015. While most migrants and
refugees typically cross from Turkey to nearby Greek islands, a
growing number of people have reached Italy from Turkey by sea
since 2020, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
Twenty-nine people were arrested in raids in Albania, Greece and
Italy on Jan. 19, Greek police said late on Thursday. It said
the network was active in all three countries, as well as a
Turkey, since early 2020.
Europol, the European police organization which backed the
operation, said at least 1,100 migrants have been smuggled by
the network of about 80 people which is thought to have made
"hundreds of millions of euros".
Most transfers took place by sea from Turkey to Italy mainly on
leisure vessels including yachts, but also overland from Greece
to Italy through Albania. Smugglers charged around 5,000 euros
per person.
Some of the yachts used had been stolen from regions in western
Greece and the group in Turkey recruited and trained skippers
mainly from Ukraine, the Greek police statement said.
Last month, more than 30 asylum-seekers drowned and many more
were feared missing in three shipwrecks that occurred within
days of each other in Greece. According to the coast guard,
survivors said they were headed to Italy.
(Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Toby Chopra)
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