Canadian pleads guilty to smuggling Cocaine into Australia

[hel0013]

One of the accused plead guilty to smuggling 95 kilograms of cocaine into Australia aboard the Sea Princess

 

 

News Article

 

Original CC thread

[Bill B]

One of the accused plead guilty to smuggling 95 kilograms of cocaine into Australia aboard the Sea Princess

 

95 kg? They must have not flown; or, have used an airline with an extremely generous luggage allowance!

[rkmw]

95 kg? They must have not flown; or, have used an airline with an extremely generous luggage allowance!

 

this was posted on the Australian/NZ board, just a follow up

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2432369

[Griller]

95 kg? They must have not flown; or, have used an airline with an extremely generous luggage allowance!

 

When I read about this the other day the article mentioned one of the ports they called at was in Colombia. A common place to export cocaine.

Still difficult to bring heavy packages on to a ship without it arousing some interest from security at any port except where you embark though.

[Aus Traveller]

95 kg? They must have not flown; or, have used an airline with an extremely generous luggage allowance!

They may have picked up the drugs during the cruise from Dover where they embarked. Maybe they got them in Colombia. I found it interesting that they didn't disembark in Sydney at the end of the world cruise. They were staying on for the next cruise and getting off in Fremantle. Maybe they intended to take the drugs ashore when the Sea Princess called into Brisbane for a day visit. Checks on passengers going ashore for the day are not as stringent as passengers disembarking in Sydney.

 

The Australian Federal Police knew ahead of time that drugs were (or were likely to be) on board. They raided the ship with drug detection dogs when it docked in Sydney. Most passengers on board were unaware of events until they heard it on the news.

[Griller]

They may have picked up the drugs during the cruise from Dover where they embarked. Maybe they got them in Colombia. I found it interesting that they didn't disembark in Sydney at the end of the world cruise. They were staying on for the next cruise and getting off in Fremantle. Maybe they intended to take the drugs ashore when the Sea Princess called into Brisbane for a day visit. Checks on passengers going ashore for the day are not as stringent as passengers disembarking in Sydney.

 

The Australian Federal Police knew ahead of time that drugs were (or were likely to be) on board. They raided the ship with drug detection dogs when it docked in Sydney. Most passengers on board were unaware of events until they heard it on the news.

 

Australian Customs are very thorough. Confiscated my rosary beads and they had been blessed by the Pope!

[Murphey]

Australian Customs are very thorough. Confiscated my rosary beads and they had been blessed by the Pope!

 

Why???

[hel0013]

I haven't read it anywhere but.... I'm thinking her guilty plea is part of a plea bargain????

[easyboy]

I found it interesting that they didn't disembark in Sydney at the end of the world cruise. They were staying on for the next cruise and getting off in Fremantle. Maybe they intended to take the drugs ashore when the Sea Princess called into Brisbane for a day visit. Checks on passengers going ashore for the day are not as stringent as passengers disembarking in Sydney.

 

Their contacts may have known the risks of having the transaction in Sydney.

 

 

 

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[Bill B]

When I read about this the other day the article mentioned one of the ports they called at was in Colombia.

 

Cocaine? Almost certainly they brought it aboard the ship in Columbia and never flew anywhere with it.

[Bill B]

Australian Customs are very thorough. Confiscated my rosary beads and they had been blessed by the Pope!

 

Obviously the blessing didn't work. ;) Were they wood?

 

If you want to see something outrageous, get off a flight from China at SYD... officers are opening hundreds of suitcases and it seems as though 98% of the pax are carrying food: fruit, vegetables and meat.

[Chief02]

The AU Police got a good tip on that one.

[Lucky TGO]

I like to know how much she is going to like her vacation in one of Australia's jails. She may be there a long time.

Tony

[Griller]

Why???

 

They were wood. And old and very small but I now know anything wood might have insects in which could destroy the fragile ecosystem of Australia.

I wonder what they do about wooden boats or ships with wooden parts which visit Australia? Or driftwood?

Or insects which fly from neighboring countries?

Edited December 18, 2016 by Griller

[TwoBadKnees]

They were wood. And old and very small but I now know anything wood might have insects in which could destroy the fragile ecosystem of Australia.

I wonder what they do about wooden boats or ships with wooden parts which visit Australia? Or driftwood?

Or insects which fly from neighboring countries?

 

Too bad they wouldn't allow you to immediately seal them in a plastic bag, box it and post them back home from the inspection station.

[TwoBadKnees]

 

If you want to see something outrageous, get off a flight from China at SYD... officers are opening hundreds of suitcases and it seems as though 98% of the pax are carrying food: fruit, vegetables and meat.

 

I thought word would get around in China not to bring such things. Enough must be getting through to warrant the risk.

[iancal]

The Australian Federal Police were advised by Canadian authorities that these were 'high risk' passengers.

 

On arrival in Sydney the police, accompanied by sniffer dogs, went to a number of specific cabins and conducted searches. It was not happenstance.

 

We saw something similar a few years ago when we were disembarking in Miami. Two people ahead passed their sea cards over for the checkout. They were both immediately shuffled over to an area where there police and some plain clothes folks. Others had previously been sent there. Dogs were active.

 

I hope they throw them in prison and throw away the key. Unfortunately we in Canada have reciprocity with some foreign prisons so, unfortunately, they may just end up back in a Canadian prison.

Edited December 18, 2016 by iancal

[Murphey]

They were wood. And old and very small but I now know anything wood might have insects in which could destroy the fragile ecosystem of Australia.

I wonder what they do about wooden boats or ships with wooden parts which visit Australia? Or driftwood?

Or insects which fly from neighboring countries?

 

Got it..

[A&L_Ont]

Anyone else notice the drugs were wrapped in Princess blue and white pool towels in their suitcases? I wonder, did they buy them or borrow them.:D

[hel0013]

The Australian Federal Police were advised by Canadian authorities that these were 'high risk' passengers.

 

Do you have a source for this?

 

What was it that made them 'high risk' passengers?

[A&L_Ont]

Do you have a source for this?

 

What was it that made them 'high risk' passengers?

 

20 year olds on a world cruise. :p

[Thrak]

News articles are saying the younger woman "may" have been unaware of the drugs even though she shared the cabin for something like 40 days. I guess if the suitcase was never opened it may be possible but I don't know that it will work as a defense. :rolleyes:

[hel0013]

20 year olds on a world cruise. :p

 

Paid for in cash! :eek: :D

[A&L_Ont]

Paid for in cash! :eek: :D

 

Or bartered for.:D;)

[sfaaa]

Do you have a source for this?

 

What was it that made them 'high risk' passengers?

 

The one pleaded guilty is a porn model. Hardly low profile. Flaunting their expensive trip on FB certainly brought them more attention than they realized.