Egypt Extends Arrest Of 2 Russian Suspects In Drug Smuggling - Russian Seafarers' Union

SOCHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) A court in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria has extended the custody of two Russian sailors arrested in the case of illegal possession of narcotic drugs, the Southern territorial organization of the Russian Seafarers' Union said on Wednesday.

In November 2022, Russia's Consulate General said that five Russian citizens who were crew members of the Soy cargo ship had been arrested in Alexandria, presumably due to the fact that drugs allegedly containing narcotic substances had been found on board the vessel. Three of the sailors were subsequently released, while the other two remained in custody.

"Yesterday, the court decided to extend the arrest of the crew for another 45 days, and they are kept in the same place, in the port prison," the union's press service told reporters.

A spokeswoman for the union told Sputnik that it was possible the arrest extension would continue.

Following the sailors' arrest, a daughter of one of the seafarers told Sputnik that Soy had arrived in Alexandria from the Turkish port of Ambarli. During the vessel's unloading, port staff found three containers with medicines banned in Egypt, which became the basis for arrests.