Why was a Pakistani national arrested in Greece for aiding illegal immigrants?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 19-year-old Pakistani national arrested in Greece.
- Charged with aiding three illegal migrants.
- Increased migration crisis highlights the need for comprehensive solutions.
- Over 55,000 arrivals recorded in Greek waters this year.
- Frontex reports a 14% increase in migration in 2024.
Athens, July 2 (NationPress) A 19-year-old Pakistani individual has been apprehended in Greece for allegedly providing shelter to three undocumented migrants.
The arrest occurred during a police operation in Sykies, Thessaloniki, as reported by local news outlets.
The Greek publication Newsbeast indicated that the migrants included one Afghan and two Eritrean nationals, who are believed to have unlawfully entered Greece after each paying $3,000 to a smuggling ring operating out of Turkey.
A statement from local police confirmed that the migrants lacked travel documentation and were aiming to reach Athens.
The accused has been presented to the prosecutor of the first instance regarding the charges against him.
Since 2015, Greece has emerged as a significant entry point into the European Union (EU) for migrants and refugees, with over one million arrivals documented. Many undertake perilous ocean voyages, often resulting in tragic accidents.
In December of last year, Xinhua news agency reported the tragic deaths of four Pakistani nationals due to a boat capsizing incident near the island of Crete, as confirmed by Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.
“We express our profound sorrow as the latest reports from Greek authorities confirm that four Pakistani nationals were among those who tragically lost their lives in the capsizing incidents off the southern coast of Crete,” Baloch stated.
Moreover, in 2023, over 300 Pakistani nationals perished when a packed trawler capsized off the coast of Greece, highlighting the severe refugee crisis facing the EU, as countless individuals flee from warfare, persecution, and poverty.
In November 2024, data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex indicated a continued surge in migration through the Eastern Mediterranean, with a 14% increase in the first ten months compared to the same timeframe in 2023.
From January to November 2024, around 55,000 arrivals were recorded in Greek waters.