A further 14 Bangladeshis had suffered for 20 days at the hands of captors in what police described as a prison apartment.

Police said they had smashed a trafficking ring which had been active in the Athens area for five years, bringing in clandestine immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan via Turkey, a statement said.

In one apartment, the gang had "imprisoned a Bangladeshi clandestine immigrant for 20 days, torturing him with blows, cigarette burns and fetters, and by feeding him only once every three days," it said.

The gang had demanded 3,100 euros ($4,100) for his release, the statement added. In cooperation with Greek police, a relative paid the money to a gang member, securing the victim's release.

Police then launched operations against five addresses, arresting four men whose identities and nationalities were not released.