Greek tugboat found packed with cannabis, stimulants

ATHENS, Greece – Greek authorities say they have seized 6.5 tons of cannabis and a large quantity of pills containing the banned stimulant Fenethylline hidden in a tug boat on the south coast of the island of Crete.

The Coast Guard said Tuesday that the cannabis and an estimated 258,000 stimulant pills were found in a hidden compartment and that the vessel was at the small post of Agia Galini. It said the investigation was ongoing and gave no further details.

The same vessel — the tugboat “Andreas” — had also been used in a 2017 smuggling operation, when Greek authorities supported by the European Union border patrol agency arrested six Syrian men and seized a large amount of cannabis and Fenethylline. The stimulant is popular in Middle Eastern countries.