The bail granted owners of the vessel grounded for importing toxic waste into the country is in the interest of international business, an official has said.

A senior official of a government agency, who pleaded anonymity, said this in an interview News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

The official, while expressing confidence in the Nigerian Judiciary, said the ship would not sail until the determination of the suit.

He added that the laws were clear on the implication of the importation of toxic waste.

NAN reports that a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday granted a Messrs Moronuk David and Bonik Investment, importers of the toxic waste, bail in the sum of 5,000 dollars.

NAN recalls that the Federal Ministry of Justice, on behalf of the government, had filed a three-count charge against both the vessel owners and the company involved in the importation of the intercepted cargo.

The Liberia-registered ship, MV Marivia Monrovia, with gross tonnage of 23,652, which berthed at the Tin-Can Island Port on Jan. 9, was intercepted by officials the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

On inspection, some containers in the ship were found to contain expired products such as television sets, computers, CPUs, DVDs, microwaves, pressing irons and stereo sets.