16 Filipino crew repatriated after SoKor drug bust
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Several seafarers involved in the major drug seizure on the Norwegian-flagged cargo vessel M/V Lunita last April have been repatriated, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed.
In an earlier statement by the DMW, around two tonnes of cocaine were discovered in the vessel’s engine room. The vessel had arrived in South Korea with 20 Filipino crew members.
DMW Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Felicitas Bay said in a press conference Wednesday that 16 out of the 20 seafarers have been cleared by South Korean authorities and were repatriated on May 11 and 12. Bay noted that they are undergoing debriefing sessions with their Licensed Manning Agency (LMA).
The four other seafarers remain in South Korea for further investigations.
“We will not discuss the details of the investigation because this is an ongoing investigation, and this is an issue which is a violation of the Narcotics Control Act of Korea,” Bay said. DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac added that two have been arrested, while the other two are persons of interest. Legal assistance for the four has been provided.
To date, the agency is coordinating the documentation of the seafarers, adding that they prioritized the LMA’s request for the seafarers to undergo debriefing. They are also coordinating with the sea-based bureau to arrange financial aid for the repatriated seafarers.
M/V Lunita is owned by J.J. Ugland Companies. It arrived at Okgye Port in Gangneung on April 2 after operations in Ecuador, Panama, and China. The South Korea Customs Service and Coast Guard carried out the raid, acting on a tip from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations.
