Eight foreign nationals were arrested on the Greek island of Lefkada after Hellenic Coast Guard officers found a range of narcotics aboard a private catamaran during a search, authorities said.
Acting on a tip, Coast Guard officers went to the port of Perigiali on the island’s eastern coast, where they searched the vessel in the presence of a judicial officer and discovered assorted drugs. The catamaran was confiscated along with the narcotics.
The seized substances included more than 55 grams of cannabis, 10 grams of crystalline methamphetamine, nylon packages containing just over 8 grams of cocaine, more than a dozen ecstasy pills and a dozen unidentified blue pills. Plates bearing cannabis residue and banknotes with traces of cocaine were also confiscated.
Authorities additionally seized cash in three currencies, including €7,000, along with mobile phones and a laptop.
Of the eight people arrested, four are Israeli nationals, while the remaining four are citizens of Turkey, Italy, Spain and Latvia, according to police.
The suspects are expected to face charges related to drug possession and trafficking, though further details on the legal proceedings have not yet been released.
The Coast Guard continues to conduct patrols across Greek waters as part of broader efforts to combat drug smuggling via maritime routes, particularly during the peak summer tourist season when boat traffic in the Ionian Sea increases significantly.
