Two traffickers arrested after operations in Crete – Among them a 16-year-old

Crete: Two incidents involving boats carrying a total of 104 foreigners mobilized the port authorities in Crete, with operations taking place south of Heraklion and in the area of ​​Kali Limeni.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the Port Authorities of Kalamata and Ierapetra were informed by the Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center about a boat with foreign passengers in distress, in the sea area 48 nautical miles southeast of Kalamata. The boat had been spotted by a Frontex unmanned aircraft, “HERON II”.

A Coast Guard patrol boat rushed to the scene, which picked up 59 people , specifically 41 men and 18 minors. The rescued were initially transferred to the port of Kala Limena and then, accompanied by officers of the Special Missions Unit of the Heraklion Central Port Authority and the Phaistos Police Department, were taken to the port of Heraklion. They are to be forwarded to a Reception Center in the hinterland.

According to what they themselves said, they had set off in the early morning hours of May 23 from the Tobruk region of Libya, paying sums of money ranging from 150,000 Egyptian guineas and from 5,000 to 12,000 Libyan dinars each, for their transport to Greece.

As part of the preliminary investigation by the Heraklion Central Port Authority, a 25-year-old South Sudanese national was identified as a trafficker, who was arrested for illegal entry into the country, facilitation and exposure.

The second incident occurred in the evening hours of May 23, when the Port Authority of Kalamata was informed of the presence of foreigners on the beach of Vyzaroplaka , in the Municipality of Gortyna.

Coast Guard officers arrived at the scene and located 45 people , 44 men and one minor. The foreigners were transported by bus to the port of Heraklion, accompanied by officers from the Special Missions Unit and the Phaistos Police Department.

According to their testimonies, they had also set off in the early morning hours of May 23 from Tobruk, Libya, paying between 12,000 and 14,000 Libyan dinars each for their transport to Greece.

During the preliminary investigation, a 16-year-old South Sudanese national was identified as the trafficker, who was arrested for illegal entry, facilitation and exposure. The boat in which the foreigners were transported sank.

Source: NEA KRITI