19 Years Behind Bars: Italian Drug Kingpin and Locals Caught in PNG's Biggest Cocaine Bust
The National Court in Bomana has sentenced an Italian national and three Papua New Guinean men in connection with the country’s biggest cocaine bust, which took place in 2020. Italian yacht owner Carlos D'Attanasio, 49, was sentenced to 19 years in prison, while the three locals – Shane Dikana, 34, Dominic Terupo, 38, and Morgan Mogu, 38 – were each sentenced to 18 years.
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| 19 Years Behind Bars: Italian Drug Kingpin and Locals Caught in PNG's Biggest Cocaine Bust |
Justice Panuel Mogish, who presided over the case, found D'Attanasio guilty on two counts of money laundering, sentencing him under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Act 2015. He will serve 14 years with light labor after time spent in custody was deducted. The three locals 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 rejected D'Attanasio’s request for a suspended sentence, explaining that such an option would undermine the gravity of the offense and its deterrence. He noted that a suspended sentence for a foreign national like D'Attanasio would have no effect once the individual returned to Italy, where PNG court rulings would not apply.
The prosecution, represented by Solomon Kuku from the Office of the Public Prosecutor, emphasized the serious nature of the crime. Justice Mogish pointed out the vulnerabilities in Papua New Guinea’s borders, describing the nation as an attractive transit point for drug traffickers due to its isolation, large landmass, and insufficient maritime surveillance. "The commission of this offense demonstrates the weaknesses in the Government structure to monitor the movement of ships into PNG waters," Mogish said, adding that these deficiencies erode public confidence.
The incident occurred between February and July 2020 when D'Attanasio smuggled 28 bags of cocaine from Panama to Papua New Guinea aboard his yacht, which was anchored 41 kilometers off Kupiano station. The drugs were handed over to Mogu and Terupo, who then transported the bags by dinghy to Gavuone village before moving them to Port Moresby.
On July 26, 2020, a twin-engine plane from Queensland, Australia, entered PNG illegally and attempted to collect the cocaine. However, the plane crash-landed while taking off from a makeshift airstrip near Lealea village in Central Province. The crash led to the discovery of the drugs and the eventual arrest of the four men involved in the operation.
Authorities have since worked to strengthen security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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