Officers caught taking bribe
Two coast guard officers were arrested in Thessaloniki yesterday accused of participating in an international human-trafficking ring and taking a 15,000-euro bribe, authorities said. The suspects are accused of helping illegal immigrants cross into the country through northern Greece. Undercover officers from the Merchant Marine Ministry’s Internal Affairs Department set up an appointment with the two suspects and handed over a deposit for a -15,000 bribe in marked bills before arresting them. The agreement involved the two suspects turning a blind eye to 100 illegal immigrants entering Greece through territory they were responsible for. «In cases of corruption, we need to be tough. While some colleagues in the coast guard are doing business deals with illegal immigrants, others are fighting against it and putting their lives at risk,» a member of Internal Affairs told Kathimerini. The suspects were also found to be in possession of loaded guns.
