The increase in small boat arrivals came just as the beaches and bars of Crete were filling up for the summer and the migration minister says protecting the tourist industry is his priority.
“I’ve never seen any migrants,” admits Andreas Lougiakis, a restaurant owner in the pretty village of Paleochora on the southern coast who says the boats mostly reach the tiny island of Gavdos.
Even talk of their arrival is bad for business though.
“We feel sad for these people of course, but… people think this place is full of immigrants; no beaches available, no place,” Andreas says. “We are just worried for our business and for our families.”
The suspension of asylum is part of a much broader crackdown on irregular migrants here. The minister plans to jail all those who fail to leave Greece when their asylum request is rejected and use electronic tags for surveillance.
He has also promised a “drastic review” of benefits.
Claiming that “millions” in North Africa are poised to cross to Europe, citing conversations in Libya, Plevris suggests other countries should be grateful for his resolve.
“You should know that if the countries on the border of the EU do not take tough measures, then all this flow of migrants will be directed towards your societies,” he warns. “Greece used to say it before but back then, no-one listened.”
Each evening, as the sky over Crete turns orange, the coast guard escorts a group of migrants to port and on to the night passenger ferry for Athens.
When the number of arrivals climbed earlier this month, they struggled to find space on board.
The minister insists the suspension of asylum rights is a temporary step, most likely only for summer.
High winds rather than government resolve seems to have slowed the flow of boats for now.
But the move has raised concerns about how readily governments can discard a fundamental right in the name of security. It also leaves huge questions for those like Mustafa from Sudan, who fled war, and have now been detained in Europe.