10 held for ‘smuggling’ Bangladeshis to Turkey

The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police have arrested 10 people, including eight Bangladeshis, in connection with an immigration racket. The racket involved sending Bangladeshis as Indian citizens to Greece and other European countries via Turkey.

The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police have arrested 10 people, including eight Bangladeshis, in connection with an immigration racket.

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The racket involved sending Bangladeshis as Indian citizens to Greece and other European countries via Turkey.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Neeraj Thakur said: “Greece is easily accessible through the Alexandria border, which is quite porous. Entry is possible on foot by undertaking a four-day journey from Istanbul, Turkey. Similarly various islands of Greece are also easily accessible by sea.”

Turkish visa rules are quite strict for Bangladeshis, he added.

“Travel agents in Bangladesh would affix a forged Turkish visa on genuine passports of the Bangladeshis aspiring to go to European countries and send them to their Indian counterparts in Delhi. These people would then depart from Delhi airport on the genuine passports carrying the forged Turkish visa. Agents in Turkey would then send them to Greece either by road or by boat where they would get a temporary visa to start working,” Thakur said.