A 21-year-old Turkish national was sentenced by the Court for Felonies of the Dodecanese to a total of 79 years in prison, an additional 3 months’ detention, and a fine of €520,500. The sentence was handed down for his involvement in the illegal transport and disembarkation of 16 migrants on a remote beach in Leros, despite being pursued by the Coast Guard.
The court found the defendant guilty without aggravating circumstances, and ruled that the appeal would not have a suspensive effect, meaning he must serve his sentence.
The incident took place on the afternoon of September 24, 2024, when a FRONTEX patrol boat spotted a speedboat carrying foreign nationals heading toward Leros. Upon sighting the patrol boat, the smuggler accelerated and made dangerous maneuvers in an attempt to evade capture. The Coast Guard gave chase, using light and sound signals, but the boat operator failed to comply.
The speedboat eventually reached the Damari (quarry) beach, where the migrants disembarked and fled. After a land search by officers of the Leros Port Authority, 16 foreign nationals were located and transferred to the island’s Closed Controlled Structure (CCS) for migrants.
Shortly after, the 21-year-old Turkish man was found in the wider area and arrested as the alleged smuggler. He was charged under Article 83 of Law 3386/2005 for “Illegal entry into the country,” Articles 24 and 25 of Law 5038/2023 on “Smuggling and facilitation of third-country nationals into Greek territory,” and Article 306 of the Penal Code for “Endangering life.”
The Leros Port Authority, which conducted the investigation, also confiscated the vessel used in the smuggling operation. The suspect was referred to justice and convicted.
Source: rodiaki.gr, translated by Leros News
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