Arctic sunrise case: Investigators find narcotic substances on board

Dual purpose devices and narcotic substances are confiscated from the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, the press service of the Russian Investigative Committee told Itar-Tass on Wednesday. “The detectives and criminal experts jointly with specialists in specific spheres are examining the documents, objects and equipment, which were confiscated during the search onboard the ship Arctic Sunrise. They have already found that some part of confiscated equipment is of dual purpose and could have been used not only in ecological purposes,” the Investigative Committee said. This will be checked in specific legal expertise, which the detectives plan to conduct soon. “Meanwhile, narcotic substances (probably poppy straw and morphine) were confiscated during the search on the ship. The origin of these substances and their purpose are being investigated either,” the Investigative Committee said. "The investigation is determining the range of persons who deliberately rammed the border guard boats, preventing border guards to carry out their duties. Thus, by their actions the defendants infringed on the life and health authorities”, the Investigative Committee reported. “Based on the data obtained in the course of the criminal investigation, the charges already brought against all are supposed to be adjusted. Meanwhile, the investigation is sure that a number of defendants would be charged with other serious crimes." All of 30 activists detained over the case of the attack on the Prirazlomnaya oil platform faced charges and filed appellations to review the measures of restriction. "All the considered appellations are already rejected by the court, which confirms the legitimacy of the arrest," the Investigative Committee noted. At present, the investigation obtained the judgment on the seizure of Arctic Sunrise. "The actions of the investigation related to the implementation of the judgment will be carried out in strict accordance with the norms of Russian and international law," the Investigative Committee assured. On September 18, the ship Arctic Sunrise sailed to the offshore oil drilling rig Prirazlomnaya. The Greenpeace activists onboard the ship tried to board the drilling rig. Border guards from the Federal Security Service border department in Murmansk Region curbed their actions, the ship was towed to the port of Murmansk. In the previous week the Leninsky court in Murmansk arrested all 30 activists from The Arctic Sunrise for two months at the request of detectives and prosecutors. They were brought to several detention centres in Murmansk and Murmansk Region.