The Immigration Management Department of the Directorate for Aliens of Attica has dismantled a criminal organisation, the members of which were systematically active in the preparation of forged travel documents for the purpose of illegally promoting migrants in European Union countries.
As part of a coordinated police operation conducted on Tuesday morning hours, 16 June 2026, in an area of Attica, 2 foreigners, aged 44 and 46, were arrested, accused of gang formation, forgery over 120,000 euros, continuing crime, as well as possession of passports and third party travel documents.
As emerged after a long and thorough investigation, the defendants, at least since the beginning of 2025, had formed a criminal gang group to prepare fake travel documents, notably identity cards and passports, intended for the illegal promotion of migrants in Member States of the European Union.
To achieve their purpose they kept a health care store in the area of Kato Patissia, which they used as a contact area with associated migrant trafficking networks, delivery of orders and delivery of forged documents, while in an adjacent home they operated a fully equipped forgery workshop, where the documents were drawn up.
Their mode of action
In terms of mode of action (modusoperandi), it emerged that members of the criminal organisation had distinct roles and acted coordinated and methodically.
In particular, the 44-year-old had a leading and operational role, as he was responsible for the operation and hiding of the illegal forgery workshop, the supply of necessary equipment and raw materials, as well as for the preparation of counterfeit travel documents in accordance with the requirements of orders.
The 46-year-old had undertaken communication with associated networks of illegal immigration and the interested "customers", the collection of photographs and other information needed to prepare the forged documents, as well as their transfer and delivery.
During the police operation the 44-year-old was found leaving the house he used as a forgery laboratory and in his possession were found -5- forged identity cards of foreign authorities, ready for disposal.
Then the 46-year-old who was in the shop used by the criminal group and was waiting for him was also arrested.
In an investigation conducted in the presence of a judicial officer at the house where the laboratory was operating, they were found and seized:
–243 Identity cards (Greece, Italy, France and Spain),
-46 Passports,
-12 Residence permits,
-12 Driving Skill Licenses,
-9 Special Consular Theories (VISA),
-24 pages of individual passport data,
-28 pages of passports numbered.
In addition, they were confiscated:
- Two thermos,
portable computer, multi-machine, printer,
-2 table hand-held document cutters,
-3 Metal moulds of embossed impressions of foreign authorities
stamp of ink from foreign authorities,
-2 removable storage media, number of third-party passport-type photographs,
number of micromaterials (menge, adhesives, threads, metal cutters, graphic material, opalescent safety elements),
-3 mobile phones and
- 370 euros.
The analysis of the confiscated data showed that the workshop had specialized image processing software, appropriate printing equipment and more than -300- digital files depicting patterns of travel documents of different states, ready to be processed and printed, with the possibility of mass production of high quality counterfeit documents.
As regards the sales prices of forged documents, it is estimated that:
the passport was eur 900,
the identity card at eur 600,
residence permit at eur 400 and
the asylum applicant card and driving licence at eur 150
From the data of the investigation so far, it is estimated that the illegal financial benefit obtained by the criminal organisation from its criminal activity exceeds the sum of EUR 200,000.
It is noted that this operation is being implemented in the context of the preparation of the National Enterprise Plan (SSR) and the EMPACT 2.2 EASTMED action of the European Union policy cycle led by our country.
Arrested persons, with the file formed against them, shall be taken to the competent prosecutor.