19 undocumented migrants rescued in northern Greece

Police said Monday that they rescued 19 undocumented Bangladeshi and Pakistani migrants who were being held for ransom by a people smuggling gang in a warehouse in Volvi, northern Greece.

One of the gang members, a 26-year-old Pakistani national, was arrested during the police operation, which took place on Saturday. An undisclosed number of members are still at large.

An investigation by police revealed that the 19 migrants had paid the smugglers to transport them illegally through the Turkish border to the northern port city of Thessaloniki.

However, they were diverted to the warehouse in Volvi by the smugglers who demanded additional money from family members of the migrants back in their home countries.