A human trafficker from Turkey has disclosed the methods he used to smuggle illegal immigrants into Greece and charged that he had bribed a Greek Coast Guard official to look the other way.
In an interview with the Turkish newspaper Zaman, the man, identified as Captain Muharrem, said he has been using a fishing boat in Seferihisar near Smyrna to bring immigrants into Greece for 32 years.
“Coast Guard’s chief of the area was involved in this. The chief was always telling us ‘Do the right and I will support you,’” since he was paid a bribe, Muharrem said without identifying the official.
He said that Smyrna is the central point for trafficking and that the immigrants have to pay 1,000 euros each to get on the boat and get into Greece. He was arrested 11 years ago but released, he said.