A court trial has begun at the Sumgayit Court for Serious Crimes in a case involving the smuggling of more than 328 kilograms of narcotic substances into Azerbaijan via the Caspian Sea.
According to sea-news.az during the preparatory hearing chaired by Judge Tariyel Guliyev, the identification details of the accused were clarified, and the court decided to transfer the case to trial without changing the pre-trial detention measures. The next hearing is scheduled for 23 June.
Based on case materials, Iranian nationals allegedly conspired in advance to transport a particularly large quantity of narcotics — marijuana — into Azerbaijan using a motorized “liner-type” boat via the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
It is reported that as they approached the coast in the Khachmaz direction and realized they would be detected by border authorities, they threw the narcotics into the sea. The substances were later recovered from coastal and marine areas by law enforcement agencies.
The accused have been charged with smuggling, illegal trafficking of narcotics in especially large quantities for sale purposes, and illegal crossing of the state border. They remain in custody under a pre-trial detention order.
