Chania: How EYP Agents Traced the Azerbaijani Spy Arrested in Crete

The case of the 26-year-old Azerbaijani man arrested yesterday morning (June 22, 2025) at a hotel in Chania, with photos of the naval base in his possession, appears particularly serious and could lead to uncovering an underground spy network targeting American and NATO bases in Greece and Cyprus. In recent weeks, Greece’s National Intelligence Service has been on high alert, monitoring specific cases involving foreign nationals with ‘suspicious’ profiles, origins, and movements visiting the country, especially areas of significant geopolitical interest like Souda Bay. When the Azerbaijani national, who had residency in Poland, arrived in Chania on June 18, Greek agents placed him under surveillance. His origin from Azerbaijan raised initial suspicions due to Iran’s known practice of recruiting citizens from neighboring countries as spies. These suspicions grew when he directly headed to Souda Bay, booked a room with a direct view of the bay and naval base, and paid upfront in cash for a month-long stay. Surprisingly, he rarely left the room, only stepping out twice briefly to visit nearby stores. Further investigation revealed that despite holding an Azerbaijani passport, he had a Polish residence permit. Yesterday morning, with police assistance, agents raided his room and arrested him. Inside, they found a mobile phone, laptop, camera, and USB containing over 5,000 photographs of ships entering and exiting Souda Bay and the naval base. Instead of using standard apps, he used specialized software on his laptop to send encrypted data. During questioning, he remained silent, requesting a lawyer and claiming to be a tourist. Authorities believe this is part of a larger espionage operation and are confident further analysis will reveal those behind it and their motives.