The other side of the Freedom/tobacco story

[Aquahound]

So without seeing what they saw, you are assuming these officers were eithr scared of lawsuits or just made a mistake?

 

Please don't start putting words in my mouth. If you read through this thread and read all my posts, you'll see I've posted time and time again that none of us know what happened.

 

I am assuming nothing. I have theories, not assumptions.

[rubrrick]

I would see the logic behind smuggling alcohol as being less 'high risk' because it is not illegal, nor is it evidence of potentially going on a 'dry run' for something that is illegal. Yes, someone might be getting off in ports and smuggling alcohol back on board in the same manner, but this is not illegal. Whereas smuggling tobacco may be evidence for the potential to smuggle illegal things in the future...

 

 

And where did you come up with all of this "misinformation"??

 

Alcohol, smuggled aboard..........is illegal. How it's handled by Royal Caribbean, well, that is left up to the cruiseline to decide.

 

Again..........page 12.........so I'll keep reading!;)

 

Rick

[praline3001]

Hey Paul!

 

I hesitated posting to this thread as I figured it would end up like the last one BUT I had a question.

 

Can those scanners see a bag of "unknown substance" if the bag is concealed in a metal container as was mentioned? I thought the metal would not allow it? I am not totally sure so am asking if substances can be seen through metal.

[Langley Cruisers]

I hesitated posting to this thread as I figured it would end up like the last one...

 

It will, just a matter of time, I suspect.

[Emperor Norton]

Seems like a few details were left out of Hager350's story http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4819

 

So the details left out were:

- RCI Lied about the test results as well as disposition of the substance

- Port and Police back the person removed from the ship

 

 

Im curious as to how this plays out now that RCI has libeled the couple in question.

[jonbgd]

It will, just a matter of time, I suspect.

Except for a couple posters it has been tame thou

[Aquahound]

Hey Paul!

 

I hesitated posting to this thread as I figured it would end up like the last one BUT I had a question.

 

Can those scanners see a bag of "unknown substance" if the bag is concealed in a metal container as was mentioned? I thought the metal would not allow it? I am not totally sure so am asking if substances can be seen through metal.

 

Hi Brook. Yes they can. However, what will show more clear is the hidden compartment in the can and/or the threads for the screw bottom.

[wreckem2013]

The pipe was small eough to be in the bottom of the spray can with the stuff. It was described as a "chamber pipe" by the port lady. Even where the RCI lady contradicts the port lady and police report saying the OP and her DH were denied boarding because of an "illegal substance" she says nothing about the pipe being against the rules. It is hard to imagine how this pipe could be a violation as a fire hazard if your average tobacco smoking pipe is not. But I claim no expertise on any sort of pipes.

 

Hookahs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes...

 

A normal tobacco pipe doesn't require CHARCOAL to operate. CHARCOAL is most certainly a banned item.

 

I can even hazard a guess on what hookah pipe it was. It actually looks very similar to a water bong in that it is a cylinder with the hose spout in the place a water bongs bowl would be. 3.5" wide x 8" tall. Would easily fit into a fake hairspray can with a false bottom.

 

If it was shisha as the OPs husband has stated, then it was a hookah pipe. Period. Either that or the OP's husband lied.

[praline3001]

Hi Brook. Yes they can. However, what will show more clear is the hidden compartment in the can and/or the threads for the screw bottom.

 

Thanks! I was actually looking at those secret safes not too long ago. My oldest will be going away to college and someone mentioned using them to keep semi valuables in while in the dorms. I know my angel boy would NEVER hide anything illicit in it while at school :p

 

I am glad that they can't hide anything in them while going through the scanner. That could indeed be a huge security risk when dealing with transportation ~ planes, trains, boats and whatnot.

[BeagleOne]

So the details left out were:

- RCI Lied about the test results as well as disposition of the substance

- Port and Police back the person removed from the ship

 

 

Im curious as to how this plays out now that RCI has libeled the couple in question.

 

Well, since none of us has read the police report, and none of us yet knows for sure what the test results were, or what actually happened to the tobacco, we don't know who is lying. Except we do know that the OP on the original thread lied repeatedly about what happened during the encounter, and so far hers is the only detailed version that's been publicized.

[rubrrick]

So, on the way to the port, I had a bologna sandwich. I put it in a plastic sandwich bag. I ate the sandwich and put the empty baggie in my pocket. While tipping the porter, I dropped the baggie. Security saw it and tested the powder in it for cocaine. It tested negative. It was flour off the bottom of the bread. But because there is no field test for flour, and the sandwich bag can be used for putting drugs in, I'm high risk???

 

Every LEO out there can only dream conviction was this easy.:eek:

 

 

Wow.........I thought so much of you in the past.........but if you are truly a cocaine user............Nope..........I don't believe that you do that.........and why exactly are your bringing this up???

 

Again......now I'm on page 15.........and it's harder to keep up........maybe I should not post as I go!!:D:D

 

Rick

[wayne_trisha]

Hi Brook. Yes they can. However, what will show more clear is the hidden compartment in the can and/or the threads for the screw bottom.

 

I wondered about that but figured there must be something on the screen that shows this can of shaving cream or hairspray ( I forgot what it was) is not like others.

 

The sad part about this case of hding and other alcohol smuggling threads is we have walked straight through security on our last 4-6 cruises with loose bottles of water and no one has asked to look at them once. Thankfully they have also missed the small rumrunners I have packed in my suitcase :)

[Emperor Norton]

Well, since none of us has read the police report, and none of us yet knows for sure what the test results were, or what actually happened to the tobacco, we don't know who is lying. Except we do know that the OP on the original thread lied repeatedly about what happened during the encounter, and so far hers is the only detailed version that's been publicized.

 

Unless the CC article linked in the OP is errant we do know that RCIs spokesperson said the test was positive and the substance destroyed while both the Port and local PD say the results were negative and the pax allowed to keep their tobacco. Or perhaps I should have just responded with "Know how I know you didn't bother reading the link in the first post" ? ;)

[mjldvlks]

Please don't start putting words in my mouth. If you read through this thread and read all my posts, you'll see I've posted time and time again that none of us know what happened.

 

I am assuming nothing. I have theories, not assumptions.

Don't think I am putting words in your mouth. I have read every post on both threads. You keep getting back to this idea of "spice" despite the fact no one who was there appears to have raised the issue. If I recall correctly you said in the other thread that possession of this stuff is now a felony in Florida. I asked whether you would expect the cops who were there to be suspicious if there was a reason to be. All you suggested in response was fear of lawsuits and human error.

[kastke]

"Oh what a tangled web we weave..."

 

I feel bad that she lost her vacation, but people who act like they have something to hide generally do.

 

 

I guess people who hide alcohol to smuggle it on a ship are hiding that they have a drinking problem.

 

If someone who hides legal tobacco is deemed high risk and denied boarding, the same should apply to those who smuggle alcohol. After all, they could pass that smuggled alcohol on to underage kids for drinking, or some other illegal activity.

[mickeysgal]

Many people speak of a dry run. Do you really think that someone with a federal firearms dealer license would risk losing that license over the amount of marijuana that would fit in a shaving can? How much dope can you cram into that can? And if it is a supposed dry run, does anyone really think the marijuana from the caribbean is that much better and worth losing a federal firearms license over?

 

I wouldn't be so sure that the OP was even telling the truth about the firearms license. Just because she posts on her rollcall, seems to be a nice lady and says that he has a firearms license doesn't make it a fact. We really have no way of knowing. Don't believe everything you read. Especially now that she deliberately left off a few pertinent details. ;)

[iwannacruznow]

Hookahs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes...

 

A normal tobacco pipe doesn't require CHARCOAL to operate. CHARCOAL is most certainly a banned item.

 

I can even hazard a guess on what hookah pipe it was. It actually looks very similar to a water bong in that it is a cylinder with the hose spout in the place a water bongs bowl would be. 3.5" wide x 8" tall. Would easily fit into a fake hairspray can with a false bottom.

 

If it was shisha as the OPs husband has stated, then it was a hookah pipe. Period. Either that or the OP's husband lied.

Thanks for the info. But why not just take the items away and let them cruise?

[wayne_trisha]

Well, since none of us has read the police report, and none of us yet knows for sure what the test results were, or what actually happened to the tobacco, we don't know who is lying. Except we do know that the OP on the original thread lied repeatedly about what happened during the encounter, and so far hers is the only detailed version that's been publicized.

 

How did she lie repeatedly? The only missing fact I see so far is that the tobacco was inisde a false bottom can. She still said the tobacco was in a baggie.

[mjldvlks]

Hookahs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes...

 

A normal tobacco pipe doesn't require CHARCOAL to operate. CHARCOAL is most certainly a banned item.

 

I can even hazard a guess on what hookah pipe it was. It actually looks very similar to a water bong in that it is a cylinder with the hose spout in the place a water bongs bowl would be. 3.5" wide x 8" tall. Would easily fit into a fake hairspray can with a false bottom.

 

If it was shisha as the OPs husband has stated, then it was a hookah pipe. Period. Either that or the OP's husband lied.

You obviously know a lot about pipes -- but I do know no one has said anything about charcoal, and no one has said anything about the pipe being a prohibited item.

[BeagleOne]

I did read the link in the first post, bayzilla. Nice try though. That's how I got to these threads in the first place. All the link establishes is that there's a disagreement among the couple, the cruise line, and the port authorities about what the test results showed and what happened to the tobacco.

 

Your post accusing RCI of libel accepts the couple's and the police's version over the cruise line's, when in fact NO ONE HERE knows exactly what happened, or who is telling the truth. But we do know, from the original thread, that the OP there lied repeatedly, by omission, about what happened during the encounter, because despite posting over 60 times on that thread, she never once mentioned that the tobacco was hidden in the fake hair spray can. That adds a whole new dimension to the story, because it's a lot different from just putting it in a baggie in the pocket of the dive bag.

 

The former shows a deliberate attempt to conceal something from security. The latter is just a way of packing something.

[wayne_trisha]

I wouldn't be so sure that the OP was even telling the truth about the firearms license. Just because she posts on her rollcall, seems to be a nice lady and says that he has a firearms license doesn't make it a fact. We really have no way of knowing. Don't believe everything you read. Especially now that she deliberately left off a few pertinent details. ;)

 

Reality is it does not matter if OP completely lied about every detail of the incident or was completely honest, it does not matter. Personally I think RCCL had a communication breakdown and the person was denied passage. Crap happens. Give them a full refund, free cruise, and let it end happily.

[wreckem2013]

Thanks for the info. But why not just take the items away and let them cruise?

 

I dont know, RCI doesn't seem to know either.

 

All sides have lied or omitted things.

 

Another reason I think the OPs husband isnt exactly telling the truth is, anyone trained to look for drugs will know Shisha is NOT pot right off the bat. Not because of color as pot can come in a whole host of colors(genetic cross breeding), as does shisha(food coloring), but because pot is dried out. Shisha is wet and bathed in honey, glycerin, or molasses.

[ryano]

Thanks for the info. But why not just take the items away and let them cruise?

 

That would have been the most logical thing to do just as they do with alcohol smugglers but we ALL know sometimes some people at RCI arent all that logical.

 

But according to most here,these people are hardened criminals and had an intent to do this as a dry run to test security so they could smuggle back drugs from the islands :rolleyes:

 

Gotta love speculation!

 

Its going to be real funny if RCI realizes what a nightmare this has become for them PR wise and they sweep this under the rug by giving the couple their money back and maybe even a free cruise, lol. I would LOVE to see the reaction here if that happens! Most likely though, if it does, we will never hear about it.........In fact I doubt we ever hear the outcome anyway.

[wreckem2013]

You obviously know a lot about pipes -- but I do know no one has said anything about charcoal, and no one has said anything about the pipe being a prohibited item.

 

Its all common sense and logical, unless the OPs Husband lied about it being shisha. You cant smoke shisha without a hookah pipe and charcoal. The OPs husband purposely concealed "shisha and a pipe", if there was no charcoal, why bring it a long? Just to smoke on land and only going to buy charcoal on land? I Doubt a hookah pipe will pass through security in the Caribbean. It most definitely wouldn't in Jamaica.

 

The OPs husband was stupid. He should never have concealed it. He also should have checked first before trying to bring whatever on.

 

And one more thing I will add if it wasn't a hookah pipe and it wasn't a traditional tobacco pipe, then the pipe could have been seen as illegal drug paraphernalia.

[iwannacruznow]

I did read the link in the first post, bayzilla. Nice try though. That's how I got to these threads in the first place. All the link establishes is that there's a disagreement among the couple, the cruise line, and the port authorities about what the test results showed and what happened to the tobacco.

 

Your post accusing RCI of libel accepts the couple's and the police's version over the cruise line's, when in fact NO ONE HERE knows exactly what happened, or who is telling the truth. But we do know, from the original thread, that the OP there lied repeatedly, by omission, about what happened during the encounter, because despite posting over 60 times on that thread, she never once mentioned that the tobacco was hidden in the fake hair spray can. That adds a whole new dimension to the story, because it's a lot different from just putting it in a baggie in the pocket of the dive bag.

 

The former shows a deliberate attempt to conceal something from security. The latter is just a way of packing something.