Two Turkish men have been arrested and ordered held in custody after being caught smuggling 12,500 mobile phones with an estimated retail value of nearly €700,000, authorities on the island of Chios said Thursday.
The suspects, ages 62 and 72, were detained in a coordinated operation involving the Hellenic National Intelligence Service (EYP). Police seized 4,000 phones from a sailboat and another 8,500 from a van linked to the men.
Authorities said the potential lost customs duties on the smuggled phones, which were mostly basic models without accessories or legal purchase documents, amount to over €166,000, elevating the case to a felony.
One of the men reportedly admitted to transporting the phones to Turkey. The case is being handled by the local prosecutor.