Delivery Yachtsman Freed In Gibraltar

[Trim50]

2 months in jail I believe...I can't imagine how much pain and money this cost him and his crew. What a nightmare situation to find oneself when you thought you were doing something relaxing and enjoyable.

http://www.trevorisinnocent.org/

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2007-07-09-2

[Nausikaa]

I am glad they are off the hook.

Aye

Stephen

[dnelson]

Always a worry on a delivery - and not the first time I've heard of a delivery skipper being accused.

[JeanneP]

I sent the link to this report to a delivery skipper friend, asking for his comments. He's an Aussie, not particularly garrulous, here's his reply: "I hope they get somewhere, the vessel was registered in Gibraltar, which means the true owner will not be found. I do worry about this sort of thing and go through delivery boats quite thoroughly, but you can never be sure."

It is a worry, isn't it?

It goes both ways, though, doesn't it? The US "zero tolerance" means that if you took on a crew member who carried a stash of drugs for his personal use, you could lose your boat!

Dreadful. Not only do you have to worry about storms at sea, floating ship containers holing your boat, rogue whales, and other flotsam and jetsam, you've got to worry about whether somebody has stashed drugs on the boat! Not a moment's rest, it seems.

[MMNETSEA]

A question that does not appear to have been asked is how the Gibraltar Customs knew that the boat had a false GRP inner transom, behind which had been hidden 168 slabs of Cocaine. ??

Who built the false GRP transom ? , these are not built in a day ?

It surely could not have been a new crew joining the boat ?

Addendum :

Is Cocaine packaged in SLAB form - not powder ?

Heroin in slabs !! inaccurate reporting ? Setup ?

[Auzzee]

I think the very nature of drug smuggling reduces the chance of casual crew carrying commercial quantities of illegal substances. The 'investors' would want more than an open ended possibility that their products will reach their intended market 'at some time', depending on the wind, tide, demeanour of the skipper etc.

The carriage of a personal stash is still sufficent to cause major problems and I think casual crew would respond well to a sincere skipper who detailed the drug laws and penalties of countries the boat will be visiting.

Personally, I have no tolerance for drugs on my boat and stress to any potential companions that I would immediately hand them to the authorities at the closest administrative centre if I discover they have lied to me about possession.

David.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

The carriage of a personal stash is still sufficent to cause major problems and I think casual crew would respond well to a sincere skipper who detailed the drug laws and penalties of countries the boat will be visiting.

David.

Agreed 100% !

I see no problems in obtaining a full understanding from potential crew regarding the yacht's articles concerning the crew's obligations and responsibilities :- including what they cannot bring on board. I even make sure that they wear shoes that don't mark or damage the boat's finish. That their bags are soft and long (for easy storage) No tobacco - prescription drugs accompanied by prescriptions (if necessary, repeat prescriptions) A doctor's certificate certifiying their health will not be jeopardised by crewing on a yacht. And anything else one can think of.

Richard

[redbopeep]

After reading this, one of the first things I though was that this fellow is very "upstanding," connected, financially secure, and someone who can be "cleared" of suspicion fairly easily. On the other hand, I know of more than one delivery crew who are, well, people who have bumbled through a few careers as well as through a few... wives...AA meetings...and probably other substance issues. They're getting their life back in order, so to speak and and are gaining hours onboard a boat for their "next" career. I fear had this happened to that sort of delivery person, he would be stuck in jail for...well...a very long time.

[Yachtmaster81]

What a nightmare! I'm glad he got released!

What one can do is keep a copy of all the correspondance with the skipper that offered you to join the delivery as well as a written statement from the owner and/or skipper regarding the boat, its owner and a statement that there is no illegal activity inccured in the delivery.

In case such a scenario occurs again, one can provide the authorities with the above as another support to one's innocence.

Just my 2 cents.

Said

[Popo]

Personally, I have no tolerance for drugs on my boat and stress to any potential companions that I would immediately hand them to the authorities at the closest administrative centre if I discover they have lied to me about possession.

David.

Woah, this really is 2007, isn't it? Sigh... Whatever happened to the mellow sixties? (When people weren't kept out of the leaders' meetings by barbed-wire fences, and neo-conservatism didn't exist yet...) It seems that the tolerance for everything that once went by the board in times past has now faded away -- being replaced by some sort of rigid categorization of everything -- according to what kind of code, mind you -- nobody seems to question that criteria...

(I wouldn't turn anyone in for a little-bitty stash, maybe have a little puff, then chuck it overboard and then make him varnish the teak; but sheeeesssh - turn him in to the authorities!?)

You know, there was once a day when you didn't have to pay girls money to be seen around with them in public, just because you're twenty years older than they are, laddies...



Popo the dopo...?

[Auzzee]

The problem Popo, is not with a weeny stash of someone's weed. The problem is if someone lies about it and is subsequently caught in some of the countries of my quadrant of the hemisphere, the consequences for the crew can be dire....the consequences for the skipper can include jail (if his boat was carrying even a personal stash) and confiscation of his craft.

It is a little more serious than some dreadlocked latter day hippy wafting incense about, banging a tamborine and seeking justice for the Dalai Lama.

If someone puts me, my crew and my yacht under such a potential threat, I would have no hesitation in seeking punishment under the law.

David.

[Lighthouse]

t is a little more serious than some dreadlocked latter day hippy wafting incense about, banging a tamborine and seeking justice for the Dalai Lama.

If someone puts me, my crew and my yacht under such a potential threat, I would have no hesitation in seeking punishment under the law.

Absolutely!

[Harbor_Pilot]

Woah, this really is 2007, isn't it? Sigh... Whatever happened to the mellow sixties?

Yup, it now is a new century, and the world changed a bit in the past 38 years. Mellow sixties; where. Wow, I must have missed something growing up than. There was nothing mellow in the nightly news broadcasts that I recall. Perhaps mellow is a state of mind, not the state of the world.

I concurr with David and Bob:

He/she and their stash would be off my boat PDQ. If possible, I would call ahead, requesting official escort to greet us at the dock.

[Nausikaa]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

The problem is if someone lies about it and is subsequently caught in some of the countries of my quadrant of the hemisphere, the consequences for the crew can be dire....the consequences for the skipper can include jail (if his boat was carrying even a personal stash) and confiscation of his craft.

Even here in relatively liberal Scandinavia you would be looking at possible prison sentences and the confiscation of the boat.

On this, as on so many other occasions, I am in complete agreement with David. Anyone bringing drugs aboard Nausikaa gets to walk the plank and thereafter be punished!

Aye // Stephen