12 March 2010 / AP, CARACAS
Venezuelan authorities have arrested 23 Turkish oil tanker crew members on drug trafficking charges stemming from a recent bust aboard the vessel.
National Guard troops discovered 100 packages of cocaine aboard the Aqua Valetta on Feb. 20 as it was docked in Maracaibo Lake. Prosecutors suspect the crew planned to smuggle the cocaine out of Venezuela. The South American nation is a major hub for traffickers who ship Colombian cocaine to Caribbean islands, Europe and the United States.
The Attorney General’s Office said on Wednesday in a statement that the Turks were indicted on trafficking charges. They have remained aboard the ship under police guard since last month’s raid.