Shipowner admits guilt but not drug connection in heroin trial

A shipowner accused of smuggling 2 tons of heroin into Greece on the Noor 1 cargo ship in June 2014, on Monday told the court hearing the case that he accepts some culpability but was not responsible for the shipment.

“I admit that I am not innocent,” the suspect, identified by his initials M.G., told the Piraeus Criminal Appeals Court on Monday. “I agreed to do the shipping side of things but said I would have nothing to do with the drugs,” he added.

M.G. said that the smuggling of the narcotics was arranged by a broker, identified as G.B., who had allegedly asked him to use the Noor 1 for the same purpose in the past as well.

The shipowner, who is being held in pretrial custody, also said that the 500 kilograms of the drug found by police in a storage room in his home in the affluent suburb of Filothei had been transported there by the property's caretaker.

A total of 33 people are on trial in connection with the case.