Three Canadian cruise ship passengers were charged with drug smuggling Monday after Australian police allegedly found 95 kilograms (209plbs) of cocaine in their cabin luggage.
(FOX)- The three passengers– Andre Tamine, 63, Isabelle Legace, 28, and Melina Roberce, 22—had sailed to Sydney from Southhampton in the U.K. aboard MS Sea Princess, operated by California-based Princess Cruises. They were arrested Sunday after police discovered the major haul, reports CBC.
The drugs have a reported street value of nearly $23 million and constitute the largest narcotics seizure in Australia carried by cruise or airlines passengers, Australian Border Force Commander Tim Fitzgerald told reporters Monday.
“I can’t go into specifics about the background of this particular syndicate, but you have to be a very organised … to get your hands on 95 kilograms of cocaine,” Fitzergerald said, noting that the the Sea Princess had made multiple stops in South American countries before arriving Sydney.
“Sydney is highly attractive for cruise ships … so we’re continually risk assessing the cruise ships and the passengers that come by air. This particular cruise ship – because of the nature and the amount of ports it had been to – was considered quite high risk in itself.
Authorities believe the final destination for the drugs was Australia. The Canadian trio did not apply for bail and it was formally refused by a judge Monday. They will remain in custody until their next court appearance on October 26.
Police are investigating whether they boarded with the drugs or sourced them from one of several South American ports the ship visited on its way to Australia.