PHNOM PENH, Sept. 12 (FN) — Cambodia's Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday convicted eight Nigerian nationals of drug trafficking and sentenced them to five to eight years in prison, said a verdict.

The eight men "were charged with illegally trafficking drug substances under the Article 40 of the Law on Drug Control," said the verdict, which was pronounced by Presiding Judge Khy Chhai.

The group will be deported to their birth country after they have served their prison sentence, it said.

Also, a Cambodian woman, who conspired with the group to commit the crime, was sentenced to eight years in jail, the verdict said.

The court also fined each of them between 10 and 14 million riel (2,500 and 3,500 U.S. dollars).

All eight Nigerians and a Cambodian woman were arrested in Phnom Penh in January last year with about 0.8 kg of crystal methamphetamine and scales.

Under the country's law, the convicts have one month to file an appeal against the decision.