George Vanikiotis

Major George Vanikiotis of the Hellenic Police has been an incredible asset to anti-trafficking activists in Greece.

He was stationed at the Attica Police Department, where he worked with the Organized Crime Unit on human trafficking issues, as the commander of their Anti-Trafficking Unit. He has broken up several major trafficking rings in urban areas, and continued to help police effectively combat human trafficking wherever it may be found, nationally or internationally. He has helped train other law enforcement personnel, labor inspectors, and prosecutors on human trafficking and how to combat it from a law enforcement perspective. He has also presented at high schools and colleges throughout Greece, helping to educate students about these issues. In 2009, he was given a Trafficking in Persons Report Hero award in recognition of his efforts to combat modern-day slavery. He has since been promoted within the Hellenic Police.

In the 2014 TIP Report, Greece was listed as a Tier 2 country. It is a source, transit, and destination country for both forced labor and sex trafficking. While the country continues to pass appropriate legislation, it does not provide the victim support and services that are necessary.