Large-scale international operation: Criminal migrant smuggling ring dismantled

Strike against organized crime: Migrant traffickers captured

An international operation involving law enforcement authorities from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and the Netherlands has led to the detention of seven key figures from an organized criminal group involved in migrant smuggling. The operation was supported by SELEC and Europol.

From February 2026 to date, the criminal group has organized at least 12 illegal channels, generating over 300,000 euros in illicit proceeds.

The group's modus operandi

• Logistics: Use of trucks and passenger vehicles, including rental cars and stolen vehicles.
• Accommodation: Temporary stays in Thessaloniki, followed by dangerous transport in cargo compartments of trucks.
• Scale: Illegal activity spanning the route from the Greek-Turkish border through Bulgaria to the heart of the EU.

Among those arrested is a 45-year-old Syrian citizen, captured in Sofia based on a European Arrest Warrant. During searches in Thessaloniki, Athens, and Sofia, mobile devices, cash, and evidence of the group's activities were seized.

The case highlights the serious risk to the lives of migrants, recalling the incident of June 14, when 32 people were found in critical condition near Burgas.