Sea Princess Cocaine Bust in Sydney Harbor

Three Canadians are accused of trying to smuggle 95kg (209 pounds) of cocaine into Sydney on the Sun Princess after an operation between Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian authorities.

The 63-year-old man and two women, age 23 and 28, were arrested on Sunday after police and sniffer dogs searched the vessel when it berthed in Sydney and found cocaine in suitcases.

"The ship began the cruise in Britain at the start of July and visited Canada, the United States, parts of South America, including Colombia and Peru, and Auckland before it docked in Sydney."

Here's my shocked face: :eek:

"The ship began the cruise in Britain at the start of July and visited Canada, the United States, parts of South America, including Colombia and Peru, and Auckland before it docked in Sydney."

 

Here's my shocked face: :eek:

Actually Sea Princess was on her annual World Cruise which started in Aus/NZ in May. Reports indicate that those passengers boarded in Southhampton though.

There is more discussion about this on the Aus/NZ forum here http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2395805

Three Canadians are accused of trying to smuggle 95kg (209 pounds) of cocaine into Sydney on the Sun Princess after an operation between Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian authorities.

 

The 63-year-old man and two women, age 23 and 28, were arrested on Sunday after police and sniffer dogs searched the vessel when it berthed in Sydney and found cocaine in suitcases.

209 pounds of cocaine in only 3 people's suitcases-that's a heck of a lot of cocaine- they must have looked very suspicious- with such heavy bags

209 pounds of cocaine in only 3 people's suitcases-that's a heck of a lot of cocaine- they must have looked very suspicious- with such heavy bags

Exactly. About 70 pounds per person. How can that be? Had to be smuggled on mid-cruise. That's nuts.

There's only one response to this GOOD!!!!!

Tony

It wouldn't look suspicious if they boarded with two suitcases each and only a minimal amount of clothing in the bags. It was stated in the news report that police and sniffer dogs found the drugs in suitcases in a passenger cabin. They must have been planning to carry these cases off personally. Maybe they thought there would be less chance of detection that way, rather than put the cases out the night before. Or maybe they didn't want to risk losing the drugs.

For Police and sniffer dogs to board the Sea Princess in Sydney when the ship docked, there had to be intelligence coming from another law enforcement agency in another country. Maybe the people smuggling the drugs didn't realise that Australia uses a lot of sniffer dogs, mainly by the Quarantine Department for bio-security risks. I have seen people stopped because a dog smells food (ham sandwich or similar) in their bag.

It wouldn't look suspicious if they boarded with two suitcases each and only a minimal amount of clothing in the bags. It was stated in the news report that police and sniffer dogs found the drugs in suitcases in a passenger cabin. They must have been planning to carry these cases off personally. Maybe they thought there would be less chance of detection that way, rather than put the cases out the night before. Or maybe they didn't want to risk losing the drugs.

 

For Police and sniffer dogs to board the Sea Princess in Sydney when the ship docked, there had to be intelligence coming from another law enforcement agency in another country. Maybe the people smuggling the drugs didn't realise that Australia uses a lot of sniffer dogs, mainly by the Quarantine Department for bio-security risks. I have seen people stopped because a dog smells food (ham sandwich or similar) in their bag.

NSWPF/AFP have drug detection doggies in Sydney, as do most first world law enforcement agencies.

Three Canadians are accused of trying to smuggle 95kg (209 pounds) of cocaine into Sydney on the Sun Princess after an operation between Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian authorities.

 

The 63-year-old man and two women, age 23 and 28, were arrested on Sunday after police and sniffer dogs searched the vessel when it berthed in Sydney and found cocaine in suitcases.

Actually it was Sea Princess, on a 104 day world cruise, Sydney to Sydney. Sun Princess is still at sea on her 75 day Pacific Circle cruise.

Three Canadians are accused of trying to smuggle 95kg (209 pounds) of cocaine into Sydney on the Sun Princess after an operation between Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian authorities.

 

The 63-year-old man and two women, age 23 and 28, were arrested on Sunday after police and sniffer dogs searched the vessel when it berthed in Sydney and found cocaine in suitcases.

Glad they were caught.

Three Canadians are accused of trying to smuggle 95kg (209 pounds) of cocaine into Sydney on the Sun Princess after an operation between Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian authorities.

I think some security officer will have some 'splaining to do

about how the passengers were able to bring this onboard.

Seems like quite a security hole.

Clearly, the passengers should have been called over to the cocaine table,

surrendered their cocaine, and then had it delivered to their cabin

on the last night.

95 Kg and I suspect that it was pure and uncut. Then that's probably a death in each Kg. Sad world.

I think some security officer will have some 'splaining to do

about how the passengers were able to bring this onboard.

 

Seems like quite a security hole.

 

Clearly, the passengers should have been called over to the cocaine table,

surrendered their cocaine, and then had it delivered to their cabin

on the last night.

The security staff knew all along. They usually do, they are not stupid hence the reason there was a major operation to catch them.

The only sad thing is that the ship did not stop in a country that has the death penalty and allow them to be arrested there. That at least would have been the best outcome with less scum allowed to live.

It wouldn't look suspicious if they boarded with two suitcases each and only a minimal amount of clothing in the bags. It was stated in the news report that police and sniffer dogs found the drugs in suitcases in a passenger cabin. They must have been planning to carry these cases off personally. Maybe they thought there would be less chance of detection that way, rather than put the cases out the night before. Or maybe they didn't want to risk losing the drugs.

 

For Police and sniffer dogs to board the Sea Princess in Sydney when the ship docked, there had to be intelligence coming from another law enforcement agency in another country. Maybe the people smuggling the drugs didn't realise that Australia uses a lot of sniffer dogs, mainly by the Quarantine Department for bio-security risks. I have seen people stopped because a dog smells food (ham sandwich or similar) in their bag.

NSWPF/AFP have drug detection doggies in Sydney, as do most first world law enforcement agencies.

Police dogs often board cruise ships in the morning and walk the halls checking for drugs. We traveled with a Service dog and when speaking with a CD in SFO, he told us they had 4 German Shepherds had boarded that morning as drug dogs right when the ship docked. We had no idea and he said this is done quite frequently. He started the conversation with us as we also had a GS with us.

I think some security officer will have some 'splaining to do

about how the passengers were able to bring this onboard.

 

Seems like quite a security hole.

 

Clearly, the passengers should have been called over to the cocaine table,

surrendered their cocaine, and then had it delivered to their cabin

on the last night.

If it's in your carry on, can't you just pay a corkage fee? Or what's the equivalent .. a cutting fee?

Morons. Glad they were caught.

209 pounds of cocaine in only 3 people's suitcases-that's a heck of a lot of cocaine- they must have looked very suspicious- with such heavy bags

Of course (smirk🙄), it was for their personal use!

The security staff knew all along. They usually do, they are not stupid hence the reason there was a major operation to catch them.

Sure they did...

If they had noticed the cocaine coming on board, they would

have notified the local authorities.

Otherwise, as you suggest, they knowingly transported the cocaine

into every country they subsequently called on, before the arrest.

Seems unlikely.

Stupid as these "Maroons" (not misspelled) were they are probably asking why they got arrested. My friend was a State Cop in NM and he stopped a guy doin 100 with the back of his car dragging and asked him what his hurry was. He said, I've gotta deliver this Cocaine and Marijuana to Kansas City, They're running out.Here's your sign!

Good job to all involved in this bust. Were they trying to finance their next world cruise?

With the Princess former sales Slogan of "Escape Completely", can they request their cruise fare back as this did not happen (would be significant for a world cruise), and because they were "caught completely".

As a Canadian, I'm allowed to make a joke about it. Three less people in Canada for a while, enjoying Aussie hospitality I am sure.

Morons. Glad they were caught.

Too right! Could not agree more.

Police dogs often board cruise ships in the morning and walk the halls checking for drugs. We traveled with a Service dog and when speaking with a CD in SFO, he told us they had 4 German Shepherds had boarded that morning as drug dogs right when the ship docked. We had no idea and he said this is done quite frequently. He started the conversation with us as we also had a GS with us.

I have not seem police drug dogs board ships in Australia (and I have been on 50+ cruises). Quarantine dogs (smelling for food) in the cruise terminal are very common.

I do not know if the news reports are accurate, but they report that authorities are investigating where the drugs were taken onto the ship. The Sea Princess called at a few ports in South America so I suppose it is possible for members of the drug syndicate to have oganised the drugs there. To carry 95kg on board would be difficult. If they put them in their carry-on bags it is likely a curious security officer would ask for the bag to be opened when the scanner revealed numerous evenly shaped packages. To get 95 kg on board, whether it is in carry-on bags or strapped to their bodies, it would take a few trips.

The reports also say that these three individuals were identified as "high risk". Police first of all went to the cabin occupied by two people where they found 35kg of cocaine. They then went to the second cabin (presumably because the person was identified as their travelling companion). There they found 60kg of cocaine.

I have not seem police drug dogs board ships in Australia (and I have been on 50+ cruises). Quarantine dogs (smelling for food) in the cruise terminal are very common.

 

I do not know if the news reports are accurate, but they report that authorities are investigating where the drugs were taken onto the ship. The Sea Princess called at a few ports in South America so I suppose it is possible for members of the drug syndicate to have oganised the drugs there. To carry 95kg on board would be difficult. If they put them in their carry-on bags it is likely a curious security officer would ask for the bag to be opened when the scanner revealed numerous evenly shaped packages. To get 95 kg on board, whether it is in carry-on bags or strapped to their bodies, it would take a few trips.

 

The reports also say that these three individuals were identified as "high risk". Police first of all went to the cabin occupied by two people where they found 35kg of cocaine. They then went to the second cabin (presumably because the person was identified as their travelling companion). There they found 60kg of cocaine.

Can you provide the report?