CBP officers secured the bricks of. While you may light up legally in some states and some countries its illegal to have cannabis on a cruise ship, so you cannot get high on the high seas. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. At the pier, as you board your cruise, you may notice customs or security officials with dogs. The security people were actually running the wand up under her dress in the middle of the room where everyone was passing by. I took weed on one of 3 cruises and was dreading it, dreaming up all kinds of horrific scenarios. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Port Canaveral conducted inspections prior to boarding, using drug-sniffing dogs, luggage searches and other methods to detect illicit substances, resulting in multiple arrests. Although it was quite disturbing to us on the day it happened. The agents are aware that dozens of people have occupied each cabin recently. One woman was quite elderly and frail and did not appear to be very alert. I was humiliatedin front of my neighbours on the ship. Lunar New Year sparks China travel chaos 01:02 CNN One of the two Canadian women who documented a lavish cruise trip to Australia on Instagram as a front for smuggling cocaine has been. As in much of life, the very few ruin things for the majority. passengers from two back-to-back cruises on suspicion of drug possession, including multiple individuals who were accused of intending to sell drugson board. At many ports, the luggage is also checked by a sniffer dog who may be trained to detect drugs and explosives. by You may remember the arrest of 29-year-old Isabelle Lagace and 24-year-old Melina Roberge. Article content Recommended from Editorial . Or, there may have been contraband in the room before you were there. :). At the beginning of this week, MSC kicked off its expanded service into Central Africa with the arrival of MSC Virgo (157,000 dwt) at the Port of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo. Nine officers dressed in black with bullet proof vests, a ship security guard and a dog. Fran lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Under the cruise contract you sign to get onboard a ship, cruise lines have the right to search your room, throw you off the ship and turn you over to local authorities for any violations. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. A grandmother from Georgia was caught smuggling over $300k of cocaine off a cruise ship into Bermuda. If you just want to party and have a good time, get yourself a drinks package and you can get wasted legally every day of your cruise if you want to. JCSJCML Contributor Level: Captain Posted: 5 years ago | 3228 Views Cruise ships and smuggling drugs Just read this article about a large group on trial for drug smuggling on cruise ships. Join 40,000 cruiserswho readmy email each week Ill never go on cruise again I live in legal state , leaving from NJ legal state going to a legal country Canada fk this , never again Im intractable pain patient who cant drink. At the Cannabis Corner in the fishing town of Ketchikan, a small lounge is outfitted with couches, a fireplace and activities such as adult coloring books. But it did make me wonder whether some of the airline employees who handle our baggage could be involved in drug smuggling. I remember thinking that if the dog actually sniffedsomething out they would know what and where. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. After 28 cruises this was something new! In the 2011 incident, Customs and Border Protection agents searched Krumholz's cabin and reportedly found more than 142 ecstasy pills, nearly 3 grams of methamphetamine, a small quantity of ketamine and about $51,000 in cash. We cleaned up the mess as it was our stuff removed from suitcases and bags. Not all cruise ports have drug dogs present. Mar 3, 2023 4:23 PM by Published As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." "Every person and each piece of luggage will be inspected by dogs trained to detect explosives and contraband.". The third accomplice in the infamous "Cocaine Babe" cruise ship drug smuggling ring has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for his part in trafficking 207 pounds of cocaine aboard a . In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. She will NEVER admit to being elderly. cruise have posted advice on social media forums about the best ways to smuggle banned substances onto the ship, including MDMA and marijuana. Priest accused of using exorcisms to sexually assault wome Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, Buster Murdaugh got 'very drunk' with dad 2 months after mom, brother murdered: source, Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss planned to tell Ariana Madix about affair, Prince Harry says hes not a victim: I never looked for sympathy, Allison Holker pens touching note to kids after Stephen tWitch Boss death, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant allegedly flashes gun at a strip club, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. It could have been random that we were in the chosen half. All of our neighbours think were druglords! Wow, I have never heard of this happening. If my memory serves me I believe his exact words were the dog gota hitin your room,what and where isit? Two women in their sixties, who were chosen as "drug mules" because they were less likely to arouse the suspicion of authorities, were arrested as they prepared to disembark from a cruise ship when it docked in the port of Cadiz, south-western Spain. On February 3rd, 2109, while doing a back to back on Allure. Apr 12, 2022 The Spanish authorities arrested 10 guests sailing aboard the cruise ship MSC Seaside for attempting to smuggle 54 kilos of cocaine. If the cruise line suspects drug use, they will arrange additional drug tests. It depends on where you are cruising. Privacy Policy. Powered by Invision Community. LauraS The fine in the Bahamas is $500 per charge. Last month the CDC issued updated guidelines, allowing cruise ship operators to begin simulated voyages with volunteer passengers. Powered by Invision Community. Smuggling drugs on cruise ships is big business. However, if you want to bring medical marijuana, I recommend that you read my article about bringing marijuana on a cruise ship. It wasnt as they targeted half the back to back Cruisers. Over 1.7 million cruise ship passengers visited the USVI in 2000. It is still illegal for tourists to take the products off-site. We were allowed to put on robes and we waited barefoot, under guard in the hallway (on display to the. In addition, foreign governments at Norwegian Cruise Line ports of call have strict laws that address drug possession. *Data as of December 1, 2009; table includes seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, and MDMA. Published Well, at least you had a room steward to clean up their mess. The latest discovery comes as mass Covid-19 vaccinations have opened the door for cruise ships to test the waters. Melina Roberge, 24, of Quebec, who pleaded guilty in Sydney court Friday, could face life in the slammer for the offense, the Toronto Star reported. She was sentenced in November to 7 years in prison. I want to know when "two women in their sixties" became synonymous with "Elderly?" All Rights Reserved. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Published A Canadian woman who documented her round-the-world cruise on Instagram admitted she tried to smuggle about $30 million worth of cocaine into Australia with the help of her porn star friend and another person. Here is a trippy little website that reports all the bad events for different cruise ships, HAL ships included plus an "anonymous" report about South American drug lords paying "elderly women" to act as drug mules transferring drugs to Europe on cruise ships since they are less likely to arouse suspicion with customs authorities. Agree, the US drug habit ruins far more than our own country and the amount of money generated is a blank check for corruption at all levels. According to a nine-page indictment made public on Tuesday, and viewed by The Sun, Roger and Susan Clarke, 72 and 71, were charged with drug smuggling in connection to their December 4 arrest. Or maybe it only happens on the Allure. Your Email Seizures of cocaine aboard commercial ships and private vessels world-wide more than tripled over the past three years, to 73.2 metric tons in 2019 from 22.4 metric tons in 2017, according to . Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Over 69 pounds of cocaine wrapped in garbage bags were discovered in a cruise ship's cargo space. Just whether you wanna be the one that takes the risk. I know, I know.it sounds like a plot for a TV movie, but I spend a lot of time watching "Law and Order." The menu typically features loose grass, pre-rolled joints, hashish and some edibles such as muffins, cookies and brownies. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Hmmmm, I am picturing you walking with a cane, smuggling cocaine. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Being on a ship in harbor counts as being at the border also. But they do have walk-through metal detectors to detect any hidden weapons. So what happens if you forget marijuana is illegal on your cruise ship and get caught? Just put them in your hand luggage and be sure to bring a copy of your prescription with you. This and similar tours include snacks. This exact thing happened to my husband and several other men we were with when we coming back on the ship in Montego Bay on our Conquest cruise. Cookie Notice Actually, a better question is if you noticed the dog alerting? I heard 80 is the new 60. Your Name Be the first to rate this post. CNNs Ryan Prior contributed to this report. The arrests of Mlina Roberge and Isabelle Lagace captured headlines around the world mostly because of the trove of glamour photos they had shared of . Drug transporters exploit the cruise ship industry to transport drugs into and through Puerto Rico and the USVI. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Do you get drug tested to work on a cruise ship? Jan 9, 2019 2:14 PM by The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. ;). I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. OP, you said the dog got a hit on your room. Although fond of lake Erie, her first love is the sea. Then fill it with alcohol and dye the liquid with green or blue food coloring. Hide and Seek: How Drug Traffickers Get Creative at Sea. If they can take stuff out of our bags, they can also put something in. On a much more serious note, I have always said that for every drug lord, there are hundreds or thousands of users out there. Okay, I keep trying to talk myself down and this post helps. Your cruise vacation will come to an abrupt halt. And if anyone were to sneak a bomb onto a cruise ship the consequences would be disastrous. Learn more. Drug traffickers engage in a creative game of hide and seek with coast guards and other security forces that board their ships at sea. ", Published [Source]. If you're caught, the consequences could ruin your life. Cocaine smuggling: The bizarre tactics used to hide drugs 16 July 2019 Polica Nacional on Twitter @policia A Colombian man was caught with cocaine under his wig at the Josep Tarradellas. Roberge was nabbed in August 2016 aboard the luxury cruise ship MS Sea Princess when drug-sniffing dogs unearthed 95 kilograms (209 pounds) of cocaine spread across four suitcases in two cabins. I have even smelled it on a Celebrity ship. Hi Chuck, hopefully its not a case of never again if the cruise lines change their stance on medical marijuana then Ill definitely update this post. That being said, we've never attempted to bring anything with us on a cruise for the sheer fact that if we were caught, that's drug trafficking and we'd be fucked. Among their duties may be to sniff out drugs in carry-on baggage. If youre at the Ward Cove cruise pier, however, you are only about 2 miles via taxi transportation. Enrollment required. Thanks -- I often go to cruisejunkie -- missed that one. To legally explore the scene you may want to book a marijuana tour where you visit a private weed-growing plantation and sip ganja tea while enjoying ganja cake. We each got called in a couple of times to answer questions because they said thedog got a hit in the room. Please leave one below or join the discussion on our Facebook page. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. You are here on vacation, and we truly want you to go home feeling rested, not exhausted.. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Getting Drugs on a Cruise Going on a cruise in a few weeks through carnival. A Portuguese court convicted Roger Clarke, 72, and his wife Sue, 71 . Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Recently, cruise lines have begun testing the use of sniffer dogs that are trained to detect passengers with COVID-19. Thank you thank you thank you and glad you enjoyed your vacation! On a person? Published A three-masted training ship interdicted a drug-laden high-speed smuggling vessel off the coast of Colombia on Friday, the Ecuadorian Navy announced. The majority of the suspects received misdemeanor possession and drug paraphernalia charges. US cruises inch closer to resuming as CDC issues trial cruise guidance, This seizure is indicative of the excellent collaboration CBP has with our industry partners to detect and interdict illegal drugs being smuggled into our nation, DeFrancisci said in a statement. I wondered if they say that to everyone to try to get them to crack. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers seized 69.5 Pounds (31.5 Kilos) of cocaine discovered by the security services of a cruise ship, who handed over the contraband last week upon docking into Port Everglades. Nine officers dressed in black with bullet proof vests, a ship security guard and a dog. They ended up under cabin confinement with a security officer standing guard round the clock outside their door. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. I also have many security clearances because of my former career. In that same survey mentioned earlier, 19% of passengers admitted to doing so at least once. They will be wearing bright blue T-shirts with our Care Team logo and all have experience in working large festivals, sports events, and nightlife. Guest. The senior citizens posed as tourists taking cruise holidays around South America to pick up packages of the drug to bring back to Spain. Most of us don't understand, but I am still not sure why you choose to post this on the cruise forum? Pot-smoking cruisers on Alaska sailings might want to begin or end their cruise in Seattle or Juneau, where there are also cannabis-friendly properties. Everything Cruise Lines Don't Want You to Know. Plenty of people get high. One way to ensure the opportunity to smoke on your cruise vacation is to do a pre- or post-cruise stay at a cannabis-friendly hotel, assuming you are in a port city where pot is legal. I questioned why Royal Caribbean tolerated the widespread use of drugs during Atlantis Events cruise parties. This story has been shared 159,956 times. She even popped overto visit us in our new room the following week and made sure we were okay. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. It is a legit question. In a statement, vessel operator Norwegian Cruise Lines emphasized that it does not permit illicit substances on board. They are looking for oblong weapons and do not specialize in finding baggies of weed. Elderly British couple who claim they were tricked into smuggling cocaine on cruise ship spent 18,000 on travel in two years . Thats when the fun ends. I understand at the border you have to present yourself up to scrutiny,but this was a raid in my room that I paid for. I didnt have to go to the border and docustoms until later in the day. 2023 Cable News Network. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. SwissMyst, May 13, 2010 in Holland America Line, Here is a trippy little website that reports all the bad events for different cruise ships, HAL ships included plus an "anonymous" report about South American drug lords paying "elderly women" to act as drug mules transferring drugs to Europe on cruise ships .. since they are less likely to arouse suspicion with customs authorities. Many lines are targeting midsummer to resume cruising in US waters, provided they can meet CDC requirements. You are right.I was offended for these ladies who I thought appeared to be quite helpless. The haul could be worth upwards of $5 million based on the drug's street price. The criminal aspects of the drug smuggling attempt would be subject to the laws and jurisdiction of the country where the drugs were discovered, where the vessel and the drugs are located. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The Maritime Executive, Published Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. They were removed at the next port and turned over to authorities. A cruise you will certainly remember. But even with a prescription, some drugs like medical marijuana are still not allowed. Rough! By We opened the door and It was a customs search team. The sisker method to smuggling dope onto a cruise ship. Cruise ports dont have the nude body scanners that you step into and put your hand up like at airports. Wish we could stop the use of drugs and then it wouldn't be such a lucrative business for these scum bags of the world. Alaska has been at the forefront of a movement in the U.S. to provide places where tourists and locals can light up socially. After registering, I can manage my newsletter subscriptions by visiting my Profile Settings page. In 2010, I wrote the articleAnother Death on a Royal Caribbean Atlantis Cruiseafter a passenger died while aboard theLiberty of the Seaswhich had been chartered to Atlantis Events. Drugs associated withraves (notably MDMA and PMMA) havealso been linked to fatalities, and EDM festivals have occasionally been canceled after drug-related deaths: in 2016, the city of Buenos Aires banned large EDM concerts altogether after five club-goers died of suspected overdoses. I got excited to see the dog and started talking to him, and it took a few seconds before I realized that he was a drug dog and was sniffing my suitcase! It would be an interesting retrospective to read these again now as seasoned adults. The National Crime Agency (NCA), which. :rolleyes: (not really). The new Virgin Voyages cruise line, for instance, specifies that "all illegal drugs, non-prescribed controlled substances, medically prescribed marijuana or synthetic marijuana and CBD products are prohibited." You'll find something similar on every other cruise line website. Smuggling drugs on cruise ships forum smuggling drugs on cruise . Privacy Statement - The reason I asked is that dogs sometimes alert because they detect traces of something that could have come from anywhere, including your luggage that might have rubbed residue in a cab trunk. Two women in their sixties, who were chosen as "drug mules" because they were less likely to arouse the suspicion of authorities, were arrested as they prepared to disembark from a cruise ship when it docked in the port of Cadiz, south-western Spain.