Sydney Cruise Ship Drug Bust!

And I thought cruises were for relaxing!

Obviously others think they are a good way to transport significant quantities of illegal goods!

http://www.2dayfm.com.au/news/feed/2016/8/cocaine-bust-on-cruise-ship-in-sydney

Stupid people - deserve what they get...

Don't they realise that the bags are checked on disembarkation?

 

Don't they realise that the bags are checked on disembarkation?

I didn't know that (but then again I don't tend to smuggle loads of cocaine either)

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Thanks for the information and the link.

Hope the punishment fits the crime.

Which ship was involved?

Thanks for the information and the link.

Hope the punishment fits the crime.

 

Which ship was involved?

If it was yesterday they were arrested, it was the Sun Princess, just back from it's world cruise, so makes sense.

Yesterday was the Sea Princess and Pacific Jewel was in on the 26th. I heard on the news that US and Canadian customs were involved in the tip-off so where has Sea Princess come from if it is that ship?

Couldn't get the first link so found this:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/three-canadians-held-after-95kg-of-cocaine-found-on-cruise-ship-in-sydney-police-20160829-gr3frp.html

Seems they haven't revealed the ship but as above Sea Princess was the only one arriving yesterday to match.

This is a pretty regular occurrence with ships from the US... you'd think the guys would do some research and realise they'd get caught. I suspect these get stronger checks for similar reasons...

I heard on the news that US and Canadian customs were involved in the tip-off so where has Sea Princess come from if it is that ship?

the article above gives the main ports, with some key sources. Previous drug runs have been brought from the US, though it's not revealed if this is the same.

They have to be pretty dumb to think they can get away with anything. Security may appear lax and free and easy , but the Authourities would have had a passenger manifest in their hands for many days before they arrived , and everyone would have been checked out.

The last time they caught someone , it was said that the young couple .....rather stood out amongst the mainly "mature" passengers.:)

Yesterday was the Sea Princess and Pacific Jewel was in on the 26th. I heard on the news that US and Canadian customs were involved in the tip-off so where has Sea Princess come from if it is that ship?

Sea Princess has just returned from the World Cruise. Not sure what sectors there were for that this year.

According to the World Cruise thread below, she came through Panama, then stopped at a few South American Ports before coming across the Pacific.

The ABC has reported that they were off the Sea princess

The ABC has reported that they were off the Sea princess

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-29/three-canadians-charged-after-cocaine-found-on-cruise-ship/7793740

My goodness some people are stupid. amazingly so in this case.

The Sea Princess has come from Columbia, the Panama Canal and down the South American coast of Ecuador, Peru and Chile before coming across the Pacific via Tahiti and NZ.

Sea Princess has just returned from the World Cruise. Not sure what sectors there were for that this year.

According to the World Cruise thread below, she came through Panama, then stopped at a few South American Ports before coming across the Pacific.

There were probably some cheap deals for the last leg from Ak to Syd , as the Kiwi Worldies would have left in Auckland.

From what the article said, it appears these three people are Canadians. Sea Princess called at Sydney in Nova Scotia (but no passengers embarked), then Boston and New York. Some passengers left and others embarked there. I wonder if these three got on in NY. It will be interesting to hear more as the case progresses. As mentioned, the ship called at Cartagena, Columbia that has a reputation as a source of drugs. But I think it would be difficult for passengers to walk on board after a day ashore carrying suitcases with 95 kg of drugs. Maybe they could have come on board twice, each carrying a bag of drugs. Just speculation. :)

The drug mules from Central and South America get around US$5000 for attempts to get drugs through Sydney Airport. If detected and convicted, they get 5 to 7 years in the 'Big House.' Having put a few away in my previous life.

Now I wonder what these alleged cruising mules arrested yesterday got? Surely at least a mini suite, not an interior cabin. I trust they tipped well. 95kg is a massive amount of cocaine.

Could well have boarded in Auckland after loading cocaine from a cargo ship there or along the NZ coast. Plenty of scenarios.

Just seen the press conference and all 3 boarded the ship in Southampton.

Just seen the press conference and all 3 boarded the ship in Southampton.

Makes it more interesting, I would think they got it on board somehow from South America, as mentioned Colombia is a well known source for this drug. I would also hazard a guess that they are just small fish in a much bigger operation.

BTW, noticed that spell check had changed Colombia to Columbia in previous posts.:o

Makes it more interesting, I would think they got it on board somehow from South America, as mentioned Colombia is a well known source for this drug. I would also hazard a guess that they are just small fish in a much bigger operation.

 

 

BTW, noticed that spell check had changed Colombia to Columbia in previous posts.:o

Snap 95 kgs caught coming in the front door, while 500kgs gets through the back.

Patsy Mules,Shields,whatever one wants to call them.

As reported more arrests will follow,the AFP are not fools.

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You would have thought the x-ray machine would have picked it up when they took it onboard.

You would have thought the x-ray machine would have picked it up when they took it onboard.

Perhaps they wore it on like rum runners and such.

Snap 95 kgs caught coming in the front door, while 500kgs gets through the back.

Patsy Mules,Shields,whatever one wants to call them.

As reported more arrests will follow,the AFP are not fools.

Sounds like an old TV show. Only fools and horses:p

Perhaps it came up over the side, while the ship was in port.:eek:

Perhaps it came on-board in amongst food-stuffs.(replenishing):confused:

Perhaps it came on-board via various tenders, over various ports, hidden in tenders, and sought out later.:cool:

Could never happen hey.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

The news report said the Police and dogs came on board and found the 95kg of cocaine in a cabin (one or more cabins). I have never seen police & dogs come on board when the ship docks, so the drug operation was reported before the ship arrived. Most likely this would have been from intelligence from law enforcement in another country, or (much less likely) because the cabin steward saw something suspicious.

I can't help feeling sorry for the officers and crew who had to manage this incident.