Greek authorities arrested and charged a Syrian man after finding 12 Egyptian teenagers hidden in his van, following a car chase through the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki early Thursday.
The 22-year-old had allegedly picked up the teenagers, all boys aged between 15 and 17, from the Greek-Albanian border and had been driving them south towards Thessaloniki when he failed to stop for a police check.
The minors told authorities that they had arrived in Albania by ship from Egypt, and were picked up by the Syrian man at the border.
Greek police said the Syrian man was charged with illegally transporting migrants, dangerous driving, theft and failing to stop for a police check.
He was also fined 150 euros for violating Greece's new lockdown measures implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
