Greece's 'Operation ENTOS': Mass Police Crackdown on Roma Communities

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Special Report by Pakistan Times Live

Islamabad: June 18, 2026


A new and extensive wave of police operations against Roma communities has begun in Greece, codenamed 'Operation ENTOS'. The name derives from the Greek word meaning "from within." The operation was announced in October 2025 and rolled out in early November 2025.


During this crackdown, at least 76 police raids have been carried out over six months, involving 473 officers. Across Greece, 152 Roma communities have been targeted, averaging more than one raid per week. According to the European Roma Rights Centre, this represents the most extensive police operation against Roma communities in decades.


The raids have disproportionately targeted the informal camp of Nea Zoi near Aspropyrgos, where over 3,500 people live in shacks made of cardboard and plastic sheeting. This camp is considered one of the worst in Europe.


Greek authorities claim the operation aims to prevent and control crime in so-called 'zones of illegality'. However, police press releases never use the word 'Roma'. Instead, they refer to 'socially homogeneous groups' and 'hotspots of illegality' to circumvent anti-discrimination laws.


Each raid follows a similar pattern: pre-dawn drone surveillance, cordoning off the area with tactical police and dogs, breaking down doors without warrants, conducting searches, and making arrests for minor administrative violations such as electricity theft or lack of identification documents.


Human rights organizations have strongly condemned the operation. The European Roma Rights Centre calls it a clear example of collective punishment and ethnic profiling, stating that treating entire Roma communities as criminal violates the fundamental principle of individual criminal responsibility.


This operation comes at a time when the EU Migration Pact has come into effect from June 2026, blurring the lines between border control and domestic policing. Roma communities are being treated as an 'internal border', managed as an 'internal threat' rather than as citizens.


Experts warn that this campaign will not remain confined to Greece. If allowed to continue without condemnation, it could set a dangerous precedent for similar operations across Europe.


Pakistan Times Live is closely monitoring the situation.

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