Twelve people were arrested on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos by police as suspected members of a criminal gang that supplied forged travel documents to third country nationals landing on several Greek islands from Turkey amid the ongoing refugees and migrant crisis in the area. The suspects are also charged with trafficking the foreign nationals to the Greek mainland.
The suspects include a 28-year-old Pakistani man, believed by police to be the ringleader, as well as three local men – two bookstore owners and their assistant – as well as another eight Pakistanis.
The Lesvos residents are accused of forging the documents, which they later sold for 150 200 euros per document to the foreign nationals who landed on the island as war refugees or irregular migrants.
They face individual charges, including the establishment and participation in a criminal ring, forgery, drug possession, and violation of immigration laws.
Authorities raided two apartments in the island capital of Mytilene, in which they allegedly found evidence of the forging operation.
(source: ana-mpa)
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