TURKEY: THIS IS HOW SMUGGLERS ARE OPERATING – Migrants arrive as tourists

Increased, in relation to the previous period, are the flows of migrants and refugees in the northern Aegean islands.

In Lesvos, 359 people (281 throughout April), Chios 467 (505 in April) and Samos 83 (243 in April) arrived in the first 15 days of May. These arrivals have raised the number of island residents to 8830 from 8546 at the end of April.

Interestingly, however, are also data concerning the ethnic origins of those who come to the islands and especially to Lesvos. This shows that the vast majority of those arriving on the island are Africans, mainly from Central African countries. These are immigrants arriving in Constantinople, with direct flights of Turkish Airlines, without any control, since visa requirements are not required for those arriving in Turkey from these countries.

Information indicates that in Turkey today, expecting to start their journey to Greece and then to the other Europe, are about 1000 immigrants 70% of whom are Africans. There is a large number of people going to the islands, while the number of those from Constantinople is passing through Greece via the Evros or the Turkish-Bulgarian border. On the contrary, the number of Syrians and other refugees is considerably reduced and decreasing.

Finally, it is worth noting that the movement of African immigrants to Greece is part of a trafficking cycle of women for prostitution towards European countries.