A lot of smuggling happens in Kavala. The interesting part of the situation is that many local officials are involved in smuggling themselves.
Officials and Smuggling
On the surface, they claim to try to stop smuggling, but they actually make a lot of money by ignoring it. Captain Hamilton is very strict with both the smugglers and the officials. Smugglers face death, while officials risk being fired. There are gendarmerie posts all around the hills to watch for smugglers A Possible Answer .
A Smuggler’s Secret
One official convinced Captain Hamilton to move a post from a place where they said no smugglers ever came. Captain Hamilton agreed, but also set up a secret watch. They caught a large amount of tobacco that was sent to the same official who had asked for the post to be moved. This tobacco had been sent from Smyrna eight years ago. This official, who used to earn £13 a month, had saved £40,000 by the time he retired.
The Poor in Kavala
Kavala has many poor people. I visited the imaret, a place where the poor, sick, and blind come three mornings a week to get rice and soup. They wait in the alleys for hours, smelling the food from the kitchens. When the food is finally served, they eat it quickly, while a priest reads from the Koran, though no one really listens. Every month, 8,000 pounds of rice is sent from Egypt, a gift from Mahomet Ali Pasha, who was born in Kavala in 1769 Istanbul Daily Tour.
The Story of Mahomet Ali
Mahomet Ali was a powerful leader who had big plans. He wanted to rule Egypt and the surrounding areas, and even tried to take over Syria. This worried the Sultan of Turkey, who tried to stop him. Russia was willing to help the Sultan, but England and France stepped in to stop the conflict. In the end, Mahomet Ali became the governor of Syria. He made plans to take more land, but the Sultan failed to stop him. Mahomet Ali became a powerful figure in Europe, and the world had to pay attention to him. He finally agreed to give up his claim to Syria, but Turkey gave him and his family control of Egypt. Despite all the trouble he caused, Mahomet Ali now has a prayer said for his soul every day. Meanwhile, the poor of his hometown continue to receive rice, a gift he left behind.
