In a significant legal decision by the Single-Member Court of Appeal of Dodecanese in Karpathos, two human traffickers were sentenced to a combined 600 years of imprisonment and fined 700,000 euros for their role in smuggling migrants into Greece. The offenders, a 29-year-old from Azerbaijan and a 30-year-old from Moldova, were convicted for illegally landing 59 individuals, including 30 minors, on October 5, 2025. The long sentences reflect the court's strict stance against human trafficking and the serious consequences of such crimes.

The court detailed that the Azerbaijani trafficker received a total prison sentence of 300 years and 7 months (with an executable term of 25 years) and a monetary fine of 350,500 euros. Similarly, the Moldovan trafficker was given a prison sentence of 300 years and 1 month (also executable after 25 years) along with the same fine of 350,500 euros. Importantly, the court stated that any appeals filed by the defendants will not have suspensive effects, indicating an immediate enforcement of the sentences.

The operation leading to these sentences involved the interception of a vessel that originated from the Turkish coast and was located on a beach in Karpathos by the Coast Guard. Among the migrants, there was one individual who required urgent medical attention and was airlifted by a military helicopter to the General Hospital of Rhodes. This incident underscores ongoing concerns regarding migrant smuggling in the Eastern Mediterranean and the need for stringent legal action against traffickers.