A police officer who facilitated irregular immigrants to travel from Macedonia airport was sentenced

He was granted a reduced sentence and was released with restrictive conditions and a cash guarantee of 5,000 euros

A 45-year-old police officer accused of trafficking illegal immigrants through Thessaloniki’s “Macedonia” airport was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison by the Three-member Criminal Appeal Court of Thessaloniki.

The policeman was found guilty of facilitating the exit of third-country citizens from Greek territory, gang and provocation – offering to commit a crime. The court recognized the mitigating sentence of life under the law, while after his conviction the defendant, who has been in prison since last June, was released with restrictive conditions and a monetary guarantee of 5,000 euros, as the court decided that his appeal has a suspensive effect on the execution of the penalty.

On the “stool” for the same case sat a second policeman, best man of the first accused, who faced the charge of joining a criminal organization and was found not guilty, while a foreigner was found guilty and the court imposed a prison sentence of 13 months, with suspension.

According to the indictment, the actions of the 45-year-old police officer seem to have started at least since September 15, 2022, as together with his accomplices they facilitated the exit of illegal immigrants and their boarding on planes leaving from “Macedonia” destined for countries in Europe and Baltic.

The “incorruptible” of EL.AS., after a months-long investigation, proceeded to arrest him, when two refugees from Syria, among them a 12-year-old girl, tried to pass the boarding gate using fake passports, citizens of Estonia, and bound for Brussels .

In his apology, the police officer accepted part of his actions, stressing that “I did not gain anything from this case.”

Source: protothema.gr