Yesterday the Samos Coastal Authority detected a suspicious speedboat coming from the Turkish coast and heading towards the south-eastern coast of Samos. Immediately, a patrol boat went to the area, which spotted the speedboat and instructed its operator to stop, but he did not comply with the coast guard’s orders, resulting in a chase and immobilization.

The crew of the Coast Guard patrol boat picked up the twenty-three foreigners on board the speedboat (10 men, 6 women and 7 minors), who were safely transported to the port of Pythagorio and then taken to a Closed Controlled Facility in Samos. The 29 year old foreign pilot of the boat was arrested as the trafficker of the others for violation of article 25 of Law 5038/2023 “Trafficking of third country nationals” and article 83 of Law 3386/2005 “Illegal entry into the country”.

The means of transport was seized by the Samos Port Authority which is conducting the preliminary investigation.

The police department of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova has taken the property of the ship.