Greek authorities have arrested a 19-year-old Pakistani national in Thessaloniki’s Sykies area for allegedly providing shelter to three undocumented migrants, according to local media.

The arrest took place during a police operation, and investigations revealed that the migrants—one Afghan and two Eritrean nationals—had entered Greece illegally through a smuggling network based in Turkey. Each is believed to have paid $3,000 to traffickers before entering the country.

The migrants were reportedly without valid travel documents and were en route to Athens, the police said in a statement. The arrested Pakistani national has been referred to the prosecutor of the first instance on charges related to facilitating illegal entry and providing unlawful accommodation.

Greece continues to be a major entry point for migrants into the European Union (EU), especially via the Eastern Mediterranean route. Since 2015, over a million migrants and refugees have arrived in the country, often risking their lives in perilous sea crossings.

Tragedies involving migrant boats have been recurrent. In December last year, four Pakistani nationals died when their boat capsized near Crete, as confirmed by Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch. Additionally, over 300 Pakistanis were killed in a major trawler capsizing off the Greek coast in 2023, drawing international attention to the growing refugee crisis.

According to Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, migration via the Eastern Mediterranean route continues to surge. From January to November 2024, around 55,000 arrivals were recorded—marking a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

The case highlights the ongoing challenge of human smuggling and irregular migration, as EU nations grapple with complex humanitarian, legal, and security dimensions of border control.