What happened
Ali Albokhari, chief mate of the cargo ship Phoenician M, was sentenced to 30 years in Turkey after 137kg of cocaine was found onboard. The case highlights the risks of drug trafficking via maritime routes.
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What compliance teams should check
- Review exposure to maritime shipping clients operating in high-risk drug trafficking routes
- Enhance due diligence on crew and cargo for vessels docking in Turkey and Colombia
- Monitor for adverse media involving crew members of client vessels
FOR COMPLIANCE TEAMS
Catch stories like these on your own customers.
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After Turkish police found drugs on board the Phoenician M, the ship’s chief mate, Ali Albokhari, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. His wife is still fighting to free him In the early hours of 6 October 2023, Elena Albokhari was woken by a text message from her husband. Ali Albokhari, 42, a Finnish-Syrian with dark hair and cherubic features, was chief mate on a cargo ship named the Phoenician M and had been at sea since June. The 180-metre bulk carrier had docked at Ereğli in the Turkish Black Sea a few days earlier and Ali was due to return home to Helsinki soon, but instead of feeling excitement, Elena was growing increasingly worried about his welfare. She’d had a similar feeling of unease a month earlier, when the ship had arrived at Barranquilla, Colombia. Ali had called in a panic to report that drugs had been found; Armada Nacional officers had marched onboard and uncovered holdalls stuffed with 137kg cocaine. Labels on the packages – the crest of Turkish football club Kayserispor – hinted at their destination: Turkey was the next port of call. “I never want to work as a seaman again,” Ali told Elena. “We are having big problems.” Continue reading...The Guardian, 4 Oct 2026, 11:00 UTC, theguardian.com