Pelasgia
Established Nation
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Court of Cassation upholds convictions of the Andromeda IV's crew, reaffirming 22 capital sentences of foreign nationals
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The main building of the Court of Cassation, Pelasgia's highest civil and criminal court, in Propontis
The Court of Cassation in Propontis has released its decision in the matter of the Andromeda IV, the Gunnish freighter which was caught currying drugs in the Great Embasis Drug Bust earlier this year. The Court upheld the decision of the Mixed Sworn Court of Embasis, which had imposed multiple capital sentences on the 22 foreign nationals who formed the ships crew. As narcotics offences, particularly trafficking, importation and sale, are capital crimes in Pelasgia, the outcome was far from unexpected. What made the case remarkable, however, was the unprecedented volume of the seized goods: 21 tons of cocaine and 12 tons of cannabis, a European first. All of the 22 capital felons are foreign subjects, including 17 Gunns, 3 citizens of the Northern Realms, 1 Natalian and 1 aborigine from the Southern Constituent Republic of the Engellexian Republic. Three of the defendants, the Natalian, Engellexian subject, and one Gunn, are expected to receive partial pardons in the form of sentence reduction to life in prison from the Crown for their cooperation.
Apart from the sheer size of its contraband, the Andromeda IV's capture is also seen as an important step in the fight against the international drug trade. Given the nationality of ship's crew, it is assumed the ship was headed for Natal and then for the So.C.R.E.R., while their cargo was concealed as pulp and paper, as well as hard liquor bound for Port Stanley. The bust has reportedly given the Imperial Police's Directorate for the Persecution of Narcotics and the Seventeenth Directorate of the Central State Security Service (YKAK) valuable insight into one of the major criminal clans of @Gunnland . According to sources within the Ministry of Public Order, the Pelasgian authorities have contacted their Gunnish counterparts to further pursue the issue. The testimonies and cooperation of the three to-be-pardoned felons are also expected to help greatly with the pursuit of the global drug- trade networks in Himyar and southern Occitania.
Back in Pelasgia, the press and common folk continue to jokingly calling the Andromeda IV the "Lil' Boat from Mariposia" (To Vapori ap' tin Mariposia), while a renowned rembete has released
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with the same title. The song's publication has been banned by the Third Section of HIM Own Chancellery as per the Imperial Law 199/1984 due to "promoting the use of narcotics, particularly among the Empire's common classes and youth", though it is still widely played in taverns across the Empire, sometimes with euphemistic or altered lyrics. Apart from the popular reaction, however, the Andromeda IV drug bust also led the police to real progress in pursuing several leads in Pelasgia connected to the Gunnish drug trade. More specifically, large-scale operations by the Imperial authorities, including a raid on the infamous village of Mylopotamia led to several arrests and the confiscation and destruction of several tons of narcotics, particularly cannabis and cocaine. The Ministry of Public Order is expected to make a press statement on the matter after the operation, titled "Kaouras" after the word for "dragon" in the Kyparissian dialect, is concluded.In other news
☞ (International) – Eiffelland becomes the first country to take advantage of Inland Development Programme by building a large number of factories and other industrial facilities in the developping Pelasgian inland. Trade deals with other countries expected to push investments in the Pelasgian inland further, as talks with Auraria and Beautancus, among others, continue. [page 3]
☞ (International) – Pelasgo-Beautancus treaty for cooperation and trade, dubbed the "Avgiros Accords", progressing in the Beautancus legislature. Nationalist government expresses hopes of large-scale modernisation along lines of the Engellexoid-Occitanian world, which is recognised as the most advanced part of Europe, see Accords as first important step in this path. [page 5]
☞ (Tephanon Question) – Azraqi Upper House reject Treaty of Zarakas, sparking alarm in the Pelasgian External Ministry. Conservative opposition demands Propontis back out of deal, citing "Empire's honour". Imperial government remains committed, for now. [page 7]