Papua New Guinea National Court Sentences Italian National and Three Locals in Major Cocaine Bust
Papua New Guinea's National Court in Bomana has sentenced an Italian national and three Papua New Guinean men in relation to the country's largest cocaine seizure, which occurred in 2020. Carlos D'Attanasio, a 49-year-old yacht owner from Italy, received a 19-year prison sentence, while local defendants Shane Dikana (34), Dominic Terupo (38), and Morgan Mogu (38) were each sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Justice Panuel Mogish presided over the case, finding D'Attanasio guilty on two counts of money laundering under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Act 2015. After deducting the time he spent in custody, D'Attanasio will serve 14 years with light labor. The three local men were also convicted of money laundering, with Dikana ordered to serve 16 years, while Terupo and Mogu will serve 12 years each after deductions.
Justice Mogish denied D'Attanasio's request for a suspended sentence, citing that such a decision would undermine the severity of the offense and its deterrent effect. He remarked that a suspended sentence for a foreign national would be ineffective once D'Attanasio returned to Italy, where PNG court rulings would not hold.
The prosecution, represented by Solomon Kuku from the Office of the Public Prosecutor, underscored the serious nature of the crime. Justice Mogish highlighted the vulnerabilities in Papua New Guinea’s borders, describing the nation as a prime target for drug traffickers due to its geographic isolation, vast landmass, and inadequate maritime surveillance. He stated, "The commission of this offense demonstrates the weaknesses in the Government structure to monitor the movement of ships into PNG waters," adding that these deficiencies diminish public confidence.
The drug smuggling incident took place between February and July 2020, when D'Attanasio allegedly transported 28 bags of cocaine from Panama to Papua New Guinea aboard his yacht, which was anchored 41 kilometers off Kupiano station. The drugs were later transferred to Mogu and Terupo, who transported them by dinghy to Gavuone village before moving them to Port Moresby.
On July 26, 2020, a twin-engine plane from Queensland, Australia, illegally entered PNG and attempted to collect the cocaine. The plane crash-landed while taking off from a makeshift airstrip near Lealea village in Central Province, leading to the discovery of the drugs and the subsequent arrests of the four men involved.
In response to the incident, authorities have implemented measures to enhance security and prevent similar drug trafficking activities in the future.
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