Mt Aramis News

Crewman Indicted On Smuggling Charges

A crewman aboard a Greek tanker which docked in San Francisco last weekend has been indicted on smuggling charges after authorities found hundreds of pounds (kilograms) of cocaine aboard the vessel. Luis Manrique-Banzan, 46, was indicted on four counts of importing 439 pounds (199 kg) of cocaine with intent to distribute following the discovery of the drugs on the MT Aramis on July 21. Manrique-Banzan, a Peruvian crewman aboard the tanker, appeared before a federal judge and was in custody pending a bail hearing scheduled for Aug. 1, U.S. U.S. Coast Guard officials discovered the cocaine hidden aboard the 70,000-ton tanker, which was owned by Tsakos Shipping and Trading and was under charter to an Ecuadorean energy company.