The situation in the center of Athens is out of control

The official figures of the Ministry of Civil Protection on Illegal immigration concerning the first quarter of 2011 are shocking. A reduction in arrests of both illegal immigrants and traffickers reaches 50% for the first four months of 2011, compared to the relevant 2010 period, while only estimates can be ascertained on the final number of immigrants arriving in Athens without being detected.

Specifically, between January and April of 2011 20,000 illegal immigrants were arrested, while the number during the same period of 2010 was 36,138. The numbers of traffickers are proportionate. During the first quarter of 2011, 203 were arrested, while in 2010 that number was 393.

In particular, along the Greek-Turkish land border, 2,160 immigrants were arrested in January, 1,650 in February, 2,050 in March and 2,878 in April.

The weird fact of the matter is that while the situation has gotten out of hand this year, only half the number of arrests have been made in terms of both immigrants and traffickers. Police also do not specify what happens to all those arrested. How many of them have been freed and are now roaming the streets around Omonia, and how many have been deported?