Two foreign nationals were arrested on Monday afternoon for taking pictures of the Hellenic Naval Base Salamis near Attica, the Coast Guard said on Tuesday. They face espionage charges.
The Coast Guard said it was alerted by the Navy which saw the two men on a tourist boat sailing in the straits between the mainland and the island. The Coast Guard conducted an inspection on the two foreigners and their possessions and found pictures of the Naval Base on their mobile phones.
The two men, Romanian nationals, aged 52 and 22, were arrested for suspected espionage and taken to the Central Port Authority of Piraeus.
Officers confiscated their mobile phones, 4,700 euros and 400 dollars, while the boat they were on was taken ashore to conduct a thorough check of its shipping documents.
The Salamis Naval Base is the largest of the Hellenic Navy, hosting most of its ships, as well as many of its administrative, training and support services. The base, located about 2 km from the coast of Athens’ port of Piraeus, employs approximately 10,000 naval and civilian personnel.
