PORT AUTHORITIES SEIZE CONTRABAND CIGARETTES IN THE NORTH

Port authorities in northern Greece today arrested the five-member crew of
a Ukraine-flagged ship off the island of Samothrace after finding 280
crates of contraband cigarettes on board.

The authorities were alerted to the vessel, identified as the Avers, when a
patrol boat sighted it breaching international rules on the avoidance of
collisions and jeopardising the safety of shipping in the area, about 300
metres south of the island.

A search of the vessel reavealed the crates containing brand-name Marlboro
and L&M cigarattes from abroad that had been loaded at the port of Burgas
in Bulgaria, and were due for illegal sale in the Greek market, evading
taxes.

Overruling the objections of the crew, two patrol boats led the vessel into
Samothrace's port.

Working with a public prosecutor in the northern town of Alexandroupoli,
port authorities impounded the vessel and confiscated the haul, also
arresting the entire crew on suspicion of smuggling.

The authorities identified the crew as Viktor Pisarev, 67, ship's captain;
Balery Tiyrhin, 48, first engineer; Alexander Kulakov, 24, engineer; Andrey
Mamontov, 35, seaman; and Micola Musey, 54, seaman.