A multinational law enforcement operation has dismantled a migrant smuggling network that operated from northern Greece to other European Union countries, with authorities estimating the group earned more than €300,000 in illegal profits.

The operation was carried out following months of cooperation between police forces in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and the Netherlands, with the support of Europol and the Southeastern European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC).

Seven Arrested Across Four Countries

According to Greek police, seven suspects were arrested during coordinated raids conducted simultaneously in Thessaloniki, Athens, Bulgaria and the Netherlands. Those arrested include six foreign nationals—Syrian and Egyptian citizens aged between 25 and 47—and a 21-year-old Greek woman.

Authorities identified a 44-year-old Syrian national as the leader of the criminal organization.

The case involves a total of 13 suspects. Three are already serving prison sentences in Greece for similar offences linked to the same network, while three others remain at large.

Smuggling Route Across Europe

Police said the network transported migrants from the Greek-Turkish border region to Thessaloniki using vehicles registered mainly in Bulgaria, as well as stolen cars from Greece.

Foreign nationals were reportedly recruited as drivers and entered Greece temporarily to carry out individual transport missions, making it more difficult for investigators to identify them and connect them to the group’s leadership.

Migrants were housed in apartments in Thessaloniki before being concealed in the cargo compartments of international freight trucks bound for other European Union countries. Authorities said the conditions of these journeys posed a serious risk to their lives and physical safety.

Investigators estimate the group carried out at least 12 smuggling operations since February 2026, charging between €2,000 and €6,500 per person.

Evidence Seized

Searches at ten properties in Thessaloniki, Athens and Sofia led to the seizure of two vehicles, numerous mobile phones and electronic devices, travel documents and asylum seeker identification documents belonging to other individuals, €980 in cash, and two surveillance cameras used to monitor the area around one suspect’s residence as a counter-surveillance measure.

The suspects are being brought before the relevant judicial authorities, while the investigation remains ongoing to locate the remaining members of the alleged criminal network.