Nine Ukrainian seafarers convicted of drug smuggling in France have been jailed for between five and eight years.

La Voix Du Nord and Ukrainian media reported that the defendants were also fined €75m ($83m) at a court in Lille.

The 1,500-dwt Moldovan-flagged cargoship Carib Palm (built 1977) was raided in 2015.

French customs officials seized 2.4 tonnes of cocaine.

It was en route to Poland from Colombia.

The Georgian master, his Turkish first officer and another Ukrainian are yet to appear before a jury.

Crew members said they were forced to carry the illegal cargo under threat.

It was acknowledged in court that they would be unable to pay the full fine, but should pay what they could.

All but one were barred from ever entering France again.

In 2017, it was reported that the ship was to be scrapped.

A couple of auctions had failed to shift it.