Alleged smuggler held for imprisoning migrants in Athens apartment

Greek police on Monday arrested an Afghan smuggler accused of locking up 34 migrants, including 12 minors, who were on their way to northern Europe.

The suspect, who kept the group sequestered in an Athens apartment, is thought to be a member of a smuggling ring, according to a police statement.

He allegedly rounded up migrants camping out in the centre of the Greek capital while waiting to buy tickets to the country's border with Macedonia before making their way to other European nations.

Afghan migrants alerted police about a man promising families temporary housing, false papers and bus tickets in exchange for an undisclosed sum of money.

If people refused to pay, the suspect would lock them up until he received his fees, they said.

In the apartment, police seized 1,720 euros ($1,922), a cell phone with travel documents and photos stored on it, plane and bus tickets reserved over the internet and a German asylum card.

Police said they were still searching for five other members of the network, four of whom were Afghans and one Egyptian.

According to the statement, they are suspected of "kidnapping, concealment, facilitating illegal departure from the country and money laundering."

Over half a million migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe this year, over 400,000 of whom have landed in Greece.

Most of them pay hefty fees to smugglers to spirit them across the water and help them navigate their way across European borders.

Source: AFP