Greece arrests 12 smugglers and manages detention center riots

Greek authorities have arrested 12 suspected members of a migrant smuggling network in the Evros region. Over a two-day period, police detained the suspects for transporting 54 undocumented migrants in overcrowded vehicles toward Thessaloniki.

In a separate incident near Serres, northern Greece, riots broke out at a migrant detention center close to the Bulgarian border. The unrest involved detainees from Bangladesh and Egypt, who were accused of rioting, attempting to escape, and causing property damage. During the clashes, several individuals threw stones at police and cut through wire fencing. While 15 people managed to escape and remain at large, 23 detainees remain in custody facing charges. Five foreign nationals were injured during the disturbance, with some requiring hospitalization.

The detention center in Serres has faced previous criticism from human rights organizations regarding overcrowding and living conditions.