Thessaloniki police arrest suspect kidnapping migrants for ransom

Police in Thessaloniki arrested a 29-year-old man Tuesday on charges of holding 22 migrants for ransom in an abandoned building outside the city. Officers are still seeking his accomplices.

According to the investigation, the suspect transferred the migrants – who had recently arrived in the country illegally – from the Greek border with Turkey to the village of Exochi, west of Thessaloniki, and forced them into the building before demanding money from their families.

The 29-year-old was charged with running a criminal gang, blackmail, extortion and the illegal transfer of migrants.