TIRANA, Nov. 7 – Two Albanians and a Turkish citizens have been arrested on human smuggling charges for arranging for Turkish citizens to get into European Union countries without visas through Albania.
Police said the three were arrested at Tirana’s international airport. They are accused of helping Turkish citizens, who need no visa to enter Albania, move on to Montenegro, Serbia and Hungary as a means of making their way to EU countries.
They allegedly charged €3,600 ($3,900) per person. The three face up to ten years imprisonment if found guilty.
Although similar in destination, this smuggling scheme is not part of the larger trend of refugees from war-torn countries making their way toward the EU, according to authorities.
Albania is not on the main route of refugees and migrants from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries heading to the European Union. The main route, through Turkey, the Greek islands, then north through Macedonia and Serbia toward EU nations, has largely bypassed this country so far.
The government says, however, it has made preparations to shelter refugees should they begin arriving in Albania during the winter.
