Greece arrests Italian boat crew for harvesting coral

Authorities in Greece have arrested the crew of an Italian leisure boat in possession of illegally harvested coral worth nearly a million euros, media and the government tax agency said Tuesday.

The boat was intercepted off the island of Skopelos, ANA news agency said in a report that was subsequently confirmed to AFP by a spokesman for the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).

The illegal cargo, protected under EU and Greek environmental legislation, is worth an estimated 800,000 euros ($920,000).

The findings included diving equipment, cutting tools and makeshift storage areas, indicating organised and repeated activity, ANA said.