Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ATHENS2296
2007-11-30 12:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Athens
Cable title:
GREK POLICE OPERATION "NEW LIFE" NETS MAJOR EURO
how-toVZCZCXRO6852 OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHTH #2296 3341259 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 301259Z NOV 07 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0839 INFO RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS ATHENS 002296
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV GR
SUBJECT: GREK POLICE OPERATION "NEW LIFE" NETS MAJOR EURO
TRAFFICKING RING
UNCLAS ATHENS 002296
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV GR
SUBJECT: GREK POLICE OPERATION "NEW LIFE" NETS MAJOR EURO
TRAFFICKING RING
1. In another success story for Greek anti-trafficking
efforts, Greek Police on November 28 arrested members of a
major European trafficking network in an operation code-named
"New Life." Police Major George Vanikiotis, Head of the
Athens Anti-Trafficking Unit, told Embassy that his unit
moved against the ring in Athens and Thessaloniki after
tracking its activities for over a year with the help of
Europol and Interpol. They arrested nine suspected
traffickers (seven men and two women) and freed a Romanian
and two Russian female trafficking victims. The three women
were acknowledged as trafficking victims by the Prosecutor,
were cooperating with the authorities, and had denounced the
activities of the network.
2. Police also arrested 21 people, mainly women, during raids
on strip clubs, bars, and brothels for violations of
prostitution laws. They were still seeking 23 other suspects
(15 Greeks, four Russians, three Germans, and a Turk)
believed to be members of the European-wide trafficking ring.
The network allegedly was luring women into prostitution
through job agencies in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Romania,
and Moldova. The recruited women were allegedly taken to
Moscow where they were provided with false documents then
sent to different European countries, including Greece. The
traffickers allegedly held the women captive in apartments in
Athens and Thessaloniki under threats against themselves and
their families. The women were forced to perform numerous
sex acts per day, and the ring was daily making 2,000 euro
from each brothel.
3. The ring had been in operation for at least two years and
laundered its proceeds by acquiring and operating coffee
shops, night clubs, and strip shows in Athens and
Thessaloniki. Vanikiotis said the authorities would continue
the hunt for other network members in Greece and other
European countries.
COUNTRYMAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV GR
SUBJECT: GREK POLICE OPERATION "NEW LIFE" NETS MAJOR EURO
TRAFFICKING RING
1. In another success story for Greek anti-trafficking
efforts, Greek Police on November 28 arrested members of a
major European trafficking network in an operation code-named
"New Life." Police Major George Vanikiotis, Head of the
Athens Anti-Trafficking Unit, told Embassy that his unit
moved against the ring in Athens and Thessaloniki after
tracking its activities for over a year with the help of
Europol and Interpol. They arrested nine suspected
traffickers (seven men and two women) and freed a Romanian
and two Russian female trafficking victims. The three women
were acknowledged as trafficking victims by the Prosecutor,
were cooperating with the authorities, and had denounced the
activities of the network.
2. Police also arrested 21 people, mainly women, during raids
on strip clubs, bars, and brothels for violations of
prostitution laws. They were still seeking 23 other suspects
(15 Greeks, four Russians, three Germans, and a Turk)
believed to be members of the European-wide trafficking ring.
The network allegedly was luring women into prostitution
through job agencies in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Romania,
and Moldova. The recruited women were allegedly taken to
Moscow where they were provided with false documents then
sent to different European countries, including Greece. The
traffickers allegedly held the women captive in apartments in
Athens and Thessaloniki under threats against themselves and
their families. The women were forced to perform numerous
sex acts per day, and the ring was daily making 2,000 euro
from each brothel.
3. The ring had been in operation for at least two years and
laundered its proceeds by acquiring and operating coffee
shops, night clubs, and strip shows in Athens and
Thessaloniki. Vanikiotis said the authorities would continue
the hunt for other network members in Greece and other
European countries.
COUNTRYMAN