Turkey Releases Captain Jailed for 30 Years After Finding Cocaine in Cargo

Turkish authorities quietly late on Friday, August 8, released the Croatian Captain Marko Bekavac, who had been previously sentenced to 30 years in jail after finding cocaine aboard the bulker he was commanding. The captain and his family were surprised by the sudden move, which they credited to a persistent diplomatic effort by the Croatian government.

Bekavac, age 62, was released from prison and placed on a flight home to Croatia nearly two years after he was first detained and 10 months after being convicted. However, his first officer, Ali Albokhari, remains in a Turkish prison, also sentenced to 30 years and awaiting an appeal.

The case began in October 2023 when the Panama-flagged bulker Phoenician M, which Bekavac was commanding, arrived in the Turkish port of Eregli. The ship was coming from Barranquilla, Colombia, and during a search, Turkish authorities reported they found 137 kg of cocaine hidden in the cargo. They arrested the captain, first officer, and eight other crewmembers, who were later acquitted. The ship was released.

During the trial, Bekavac said he had reported poor security on the ship while it was in Colombia and said he had asked for it to be increased. Before the ship departed, the Colombian authorities found a small amount of cocaine in the aft peak tank, and when the ship reached Turkey, the captain reported it to the authorities.

He was arrested and prosecuted under drug trafficking laws. Turkish authorities argued he was responsible as the master of the ship. They said that Marko Bekavac and Ali Albokhari, as the senior officers aboard the ship, were responsible for its security and the drugs found onboard.

His family in Croatia was able to generate attention for the case and met with President Zoran Milanovi?, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovi?, and several ministries to appeal for their support. Lawyers had also filed an appeal, which was still pending with the Turkish Supreme Court.

Bekavac, with 44 years as a seafarer, asserts he is innocent and that no information was shown in court to link him to the smuggling. He told his family he thought he was being moved to a different prison, but instead, suddenly found himself free.

Multiple groups have highlighted the case as another example of seafarers being criminalized without supporting evidence.