The Coast Guard arrested eight Egyptians identified as the smugglers of 507 illegal immigrants who were transported from Libya to Gavdos in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The eight Egyptians, aged 20, 24, 25, 33, 34, 34 and 49, are accused of violating Article 83 of Law 3386/05 “Illegal entry into the country” and Article 187 of the Criminal Code “Criminal organization”.

It will be recalled that the 420 men, 10 women, and 85 minors carried by the Egyptian boat were rescued by the cargo ship “MESSINIAN SPIRE” of Bahamian flag.

Yesterday, Thursday, the cargo ship sailed to the port of Lavrio so that the rescued illegal immigrants could be transferred to the Controlled Temporary Accommodation Facility for Asylum Seekers of Sintiki and to the Central Immigration Offices of Diavata, Evros, and Malakasa.

The Coast Guard’s announcement on the arrest of the Egyptians and the rescue of 507 illegal immigrants

In the early hours of yesterday (Wednesday), the port authorities of Kokkinos Pyrgos, Agia Galini, Kalia Limeni and Paleochora were informed by the Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (E.K.K.S.E.D.) of the Headquarters of the Coast Guard-Hellenic Coast Guard of the existence of a fishing vessel with a large number of passengers in a difficult position, in the sea area 17 nm south of Gavdos. Immediately, a High Seas Vessel (PATH) of the L.S.-EΛ.AKT., 5 coastal vessels and two FRONTEX aircraft went to the spot. The five hundred and fifteen (515) foreigners (420 men, 10 women, 85 minors) on board the vessel were transferred, with the assistance of an auxiliary vessel of the Patrol Boat, to the cargo ship (F/G) ¨MESSINIAN SPIRE¨ of Bahamian flag. In the early hours of today, the vessel arrived at the Lavrio anchorage, escorted by the Pathet. The foreigners were transferred to two passenger liners and then gradually transferred safely to the port of Lavrio, while they are to be transferred to the Controlled Temporary Accommodation Facility for Asylum Seekers in Sintiki and to the Diavaton, Evros and Malakasa Detention Centres.

The Central Port Authority of Lavrio, which is conducting the preliminary investigation, arrested eight foreigners (Egyptian nationals), aged 20, 24, 25, 33, 34, 34, 34 and 49 years old, who were identified as the traffickers of the others, for violation of Article 83 of Law 3386/05 “Illegal entry into the country” and article 187 of the Criminal Code “Criminal organization”.

The Directorate of Security and Maritime Borders Protection in cooperation with the Lavrio Port Authority is analyzing and processing in depth all the evidence that has emerged and investigating the possible expansion of the activities of the members of the criminal organization in question, as well as their cooperation with other members of organized circles with the same or similar criminal activities