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Canadian cruise passengers busted after huge drug haul found on ship
Friday, 30 Aug, 2016
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Three Canadian cruise passengers are facing a long stretch behind bars after customs officers seized a record 95 kg of cocaine from a cruise ship docked in Sydney.
Passengers Andre Tamine, 63, Isabelle Lagace, 28, and Melina Roberce, 22, made their first court appearance Monday charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.
The drug haul has an estimated street value of $31 million and is the biggest drug seizure at an airport or on a cruise ship in Australia, said Tim Fitzgerald, a regional commander at the Australian Border Force.
"It was during the search of the cabin that we identified a number of suitcases in the cabin itself that were locked. Itemizer or trace technology was used to scan the outside of those suitcases and as a result a number of tests came positive for the presence of cocaine," Fitzgerald said.
The Australian Border Force said the three accused have links to a ‘very well organised syndicate.’
The arrests came about after international cooperation between Australian officials and counterparts at US Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the New Zealand Customs Service and the Canada Border Services Agency.
The Sea Princess had docked in Sydney at the end of a 66-day world cruise after leaving the UK in early July and called at ports in Canada, the US, South America and New Zealand.
The three face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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