Greek police officers detained for aiding illegal migrant crossings, pending trial

Five police officers accused of cooperating with human traffickers to facilitate entry of at least 100 migrants into Greece are being held in custody pending trial.

five officers h been testifying before an examining magistrate since Saturday morning at border town of Orestia, in norastern Greece.

Agents from internal affairs division of Greek police h been monitoring five officers, who serve in a special border guard unit, since October 2022. y also listened into ir phone conversations, whose transcripts run into over 2,000 pages. officers h aroused suspicion by volunteering to patrol at certain times, toger.

Authorities say offices facilitated at least 12 border crossings, collaborating with four traffickers of undetermined nationality who operated from Turkey.

Authorities allege that accused officers took a cut from money traffickers received from migrants to take m across border. When officers were arrested last Monday in border town of Didymoteicho, police confiscated some 26,000 euros ($28,000) in cash, and nearly 60 mobile phones.

Almost all land border between Greece and Turkey is formed by Evros River, called Meric in Turkey. Evros is a key crossing point into Greece for people seeking a better life in European Union. Greece has built a high fence along much of border to prevent migrants crossing, and is planning to furr extend it.