Greek coast guard detains two Turkish captains over refugee trafficking

MUĞLA – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

The Greek coast guard detained two Turkish captains on suspicion of facilitating the smuggling of 14 Syrian refugees to the Greek island of Kalymnos, a local news website from the island has reported. 

The two captains set off at dawn on Jan. 11 from the Gümüşlük neighborhood of the touristic western Turkish town of Bodrum in a seven-meter speed boat, in which they were allegedly smuggling Syrian refugees to Greece, Doğan News Agency reported. 

According to reports, the traffickers were noticed by the Greek coast guard while returning to Bodrum, after which they attempted to escape. The coast guard succeeded in apprehending them by firing warning shots following failed attempts to stop them after announcements. 

The smugglers, two captains aged 28 and 34 years, were detained and handed over to Greek police at Kalymnos.