Delivery crew live in fear of arrest!!!!!

[AlJones]

Dear All

I have just read in my new PBO of the two delivery crew whom, after ten years post delivery, were arrested as part of a £270m drug siege!!!!!!!!

This has probably been discussed on here earlier, but being a 'Newbie' I may have missed it. Anyway.....

A John Packwood and a Henry Stableford delivered an ex-naval cutter 10 years, yes 10 years, ago to Morocco. The boat was later seized in a anti-drug Cartel operation and was found to have helped deliver in excess of £270m worth of Cocaine!!!!

Years Later John Packwood went on his hol's, in I think Spain, and was arrested. John was imprisoned, and spent 13 months
pre-trail in a Spanish jail!!!!!!!!! It was only the fact that his Lawyers wifes friend knew George Clooney, and he made a personal plea for John's release was John given a Kings pardon.
Henry was imprisoned and has now been released aswell.

These guys have not been pardon by the Moroccan authorities and now live in fear of arrest if they ever leave the UK!!!!!!!!

It begs me to ask the question, I have delivered a hell of a lot of boats over the years, to end-users all over the world, if these boats were then used in illegal activities could I also be under sus?

Therefore should we, the delivery skippers, have some sort of pre-delivery European/Home Office/InterPol Approved SVF completed? Can we, should we, all get together and start charging protection from prosecution fees as well?

(Before the lower deck lawyers jump in, the questions above are tongue in cheek!)

How frighting is this to the delivery industry? In fact, if I sold a boat and it was caught later in the Med or where ever partaking in smuggling, and it was found to have a false bulkhead, could I then be up for a custodial!!!!!

I don't like the sound of this. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Watch your back's /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

To coin a phrase, "Argh! Take what you can, ...and give nothing back!"

Al /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[woody001]

changing the subject your site - http://www.piratesofthesolent.org/

sounds fun! tell us more?

Simon

 

[Oliveoyl]

Maybe delivery skippers can get the vessel "sniffed" by dogs and cleared before and after delivery?

 

[AlJones]

Hi OO

Great idea for immediate delivery safety, however these poor buggers had a few year's difference between time of delivery to the boat being used and caught for smuggling!!!!!

But still a great idea you have there, do you happen to own/use sniffer's? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Al

 

[AlJones]

PM'd You.

Al

 

[graham]

Not just delivery skippers but anyone crewing for someone needs to take a bit of care also.problem is that criminals tend to look pretty much like anyone else.

 

[AlJones]

Do we?.... oh erm...cough.........I mean do they? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Oliveoyl]

Sorry, no sniffers, just 3 cats who can (visually) sniff the diff between their normal pouches of cat stuff and cans of tuna. Maybe i can train 'em up and get them licenced under some obscure EC rule?
However, have a mate who works in boat maintenance in Antwerp port, where many banana boats (no names , bit begins with "Ch" and ends with "a") often deliver other stuff aside bananas.Maybe overly naive, but if customs etc are so tight about eg VAT registration, right of entry etc, they could also do a drug clearance at tha same time, thus saving delivery skipperss / future owners-charterers a hard time

 

[pgod]

I think its best to just stay in bed, you never know what might happen!

 

[landaftaf]

LOL

did we once share a house in hambledon ...... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[pgod]

maybe. Give me a clue. Have you got an XOD chest?

 

[graham]

What prompted that question?Did you spend some time in bed with a guy called Roger?

 

[pgod]

no, but did you know that bloke U?

 

[landaftaf]

nah - I shared a house with a bloke called roger when I did second mates at warsash 30 yrs ago ........ and all he did was stay in bed

so this being such a small world, and roger also being a yottie .... I jumped to conclusions /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[graham]

no, Ive never been to Hambledon. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[graham]

Stranger things have happened.The embarrasing part is when someones shaking your hand and obviously knew you well at some point but you cant place them /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I think I bluffed my way out of it though /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sailfree]

An extra word of warning

Just in normal conversation with a business colleague spoke about having a boat and he asked which one. The conversation went on to him saying the previous owners of his house sold up and bought (he thought) the same boat and went sailing.

While in the Med got friendly with some people (don't know the exact circumstances) and ended up unofficially chartering their boat to them for a short period.

Boat is now confiscated by Spanish Customs as it was used for drug smuggling by the charterer!

Knowing the person I assumed that it was a true story but no doubt someone will check on Snoopes.com in case its another Urban Myth!

 

[graham]

About 15 years ago a friend of mine had a 32 foot ketch in a Spanish Marina(Cant remember which one).

A Brit guy living on a boat in the marina did odd jobs on boats woodwork painting engine oil changing etc.

My friend left the keys with him to do some work,the guy took the boat to Morroco loaded with drugs then got arrested on the way back.during the customs tender loving care the yacht was badly damaged and stuff stolen off it.Insult to injury the Spanish Customs wanted a huge sum for berthing the boat for several months. They had left it against a stone quay with no fenders for weeks on end.

My friend cut his losses and walked away ,I dont know if the insurance ever coughed up anything,unlikely I would have thought. Not an urban Myth .Names not used for obvious reasons. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif