The Greek police announced this Saturday (1st) the dismantling of a trafficking network that sexually exploited women, especially Colombian women, an operation that resulted in the release of 51 victims and the arrest of 22 people.

Colombian agents in a police operation in 2022 – Photo: Arquivo/Joaquin Sarmiento/AFP/ND

Agents raided 13 brothels in Athens and Thessaloniki on Friday, freeing 48 women from Colombia, two from Venezuela and one from Albania, Athens police chief Ioannis Skouras said.

The network consisted of two organizations that had been active in Greece and Colombia for at least three years, police department spokeswoman Constantia Dimoglidou added.

Women were lured to travel to Greece with false promises of well-paid jobs. Once on Greek soil, they were forced into ruthless prostitution, Skouras added.

According to Skouras, the police operation was supported by Europol and the police of Spain and the United States, as well as two public organizations that help victims of human trafficking.

Four people associated with this network are still being sought.