THESSALONIKI. A criminal appeals court in Thessaloniki sentenced members of a human trafficking ring to sentences ranging from 96 to 280 years each on Tuesday, without suspension.

Eight individuals were charged with transporting and holding illegally 46 undocumented migrants who were mostly from Pakistan and Bangladesh. The migrants were found housed in a warehouse in the Sindos area in August 2018.

Three Moldovans were sentenced to 280 years each for transporting the migrants from Alexandroupolis to Thessaloniki after each of the latter had paid 2,000 euros. The migrants were driven to the warehouse and held against their will, guarded by three Pakistanis, who each received jail sentences ranging from 96 to 188 years.

A Greek, 72, owner of the warehouse, was sentenced to 188 years while a Romanian who owned one of the vehicles used was sentenced to 48 years for collaboration.

All eight were returned to jail to serve their sentences, which cannot be suspended. All have to serve a minimum of 20 years except the Romanian, who has to serve 8 years.