Mr. Dendias, the country’s public order minister, in August 2012 launched a large-scale sweep operation to arrest and deport illegal immigrants in Athens. At a news conference in August, he compared the influx to the invasion of the Dorians 4,000 years ago. The police operation called ironically „Xenios Zeus“ – after the god of hospitality – began on August 4th, 2012. During three months (August – October 2012) the police temporarily arrested 48.402 migrants of which 3.668 were finally detained.