Japan's Sapporo district court sentenced two Russian citizens to 12 and 11.6 years in prison for smuggling 30 kg of drugs into the country, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Thursday.
Sergei Titov, 26, and Roman Andrushenko, 31, were also ordered to pay $41,000 in fines.
The Russian citizens were arrested in January on Hokkaido Island, along with a Japanese national, RIA Novosti reported at the time.
They travelled to Japan on a Cambodian cargo ship in December 2014, smuggling 26.7 kilograms of psychotropic substances to the country.
Titov and Andrushenko planned to sell the drugs, valued at nearly $15 million on the black market, Japanese police said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
