Five Marshall Islanders have pleaded not guilty to cocaine charges, bringing the total number of men from Ebeye Island charged with drug possession since last year to 14.
The charges all stem from cocaine that washed up on the beach of Kwajalein Atoll nearly a year ago.
Approximately 25 one kilo packages of what appeared to be professionally wrapped bundles of cocaine were found on a small island in Kwajalein, which hosts the U.S. Army missile testing range.
Before the drugs were turned into police, several of the packages disappeared, police said.
Later, according to police officials, more drugs were stolen or lost from the Ebeye police station.
Nine men from Ebeye were charged with cocaine possession in 2004.
The five new defendants are scheduled to appear in the High Court on April 14th
