MIB - Black RIB's patroling the thames area

[Captain Haddock]

MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

Hi!

Just read this YM News and it appears stop and search for terrorists will be the order of the day for the Thames area.

Forget Black helicopters we have Black RIBs !!!

I saw these chaps in Brightlingsea a few weeks ago, all in black, tactical gear (It looked like the molle velcro attachment stuff so I reckon they must be armed), twin 130 hp outboards, flashing blue lights the lot.

They were giving me there sternest look and watched as I left the pontoons. I just gave a cheery wave, stared back and carried on about my business sroting out my lines and hoisting the main.

They then followed me for a while before opening up both engines and roared over to Bradwell.

What on earth are they expecting to find? How can they tell a suspect boat? In the article the chap had an SSR what if you have no SSR would you get "hit the deck or I'll pop a cap in yo ass!"?

What else will they look at Radio licence in order? Can we see your passage plan? where have you been the past week? Does anyone know you on shore? are you registered with the coastguard?

Most of the above we all have however what if you don't? this is the freedom we enjoy on the water the choice of being anonymous if we want.

What next compulsary registration?... after all you could be a terrorist and we wouldn't want to shoot you so register so we can see who you are and tax yo- oops! went too far there /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

What are our rights here? does stop and search apply to boats? do they have the right to rummage through my lockers ?

I don't like the look of this at all.

Yachting Monthly, maybe this is something you can cover in an article?

Have you seen the MIB (Men In Black)?

 

[LeytonC]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

Check out Mobo Chat - our own BoatOne has already fell foul of them /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

Seen 'em off Harwich as well......

 

[fireball]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

Good ... quite happy to see (some of) our money being spent on actually patrolling and checking up on "suspect" vessels.... rather that than pay another plonker to write a report on the dangers currently facing the UK - but then hes probably still doing that too.

 

[davidfox]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

Bit of a worry, give a bloke a black uniform he will then opt for the balaclava extra as it gives additional cred he then stands in front of the mirror in his bedroom practising his thousand mile stare - now fully trained they give him a weapon, which he is desparate to use for real,(god help us) a high power rib and bobs yer uncle, he is ready to prowl the creeks of the Blackwater ferreting out terrorist cells - the terrorists meanwhile are using easyjet.

 

[paulrossall]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

They boarded us year before last. We had left the Deben at first light in November 2003, heading for Lowestoft, and had seen a naval looking vessel with a black rib in attendance around Sizewell. The rib was making the rounds of boats that all appeared to be fishing. A couple of hours later when we were about to alter course to go through the bouyed chanel into Lowestoft the rib appeared from nowhere. I had just gone below to check our position when there were a couple of bumps on deck.
There were 2 crew on deck and one other below asleep. I expected a call to come on deck and deal with the cause of the bump, but next minute a bloke, in a black rubber wet suit with Custom & Excise plastered all over it, was down below, shouting at us and telling us to go on deck. There were 3 other C & E men on deck and they radiod the mother ship to tell them "vessel secured". They took all our details which took them ages as their leader had obviously been playing commandoes in the playground when spelling lessons were in progress. After searching the boat they relised we were "OK" and were then friendly.
It was a shock to be boarded in such an agressive manner

 

[reginaldon]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

In the US their opposite numbers have been doing their stuff, much to the annoyance of many yachties - see the Cruisers Forum.

 

[savageseadog]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

Perhaps you'll be shot in the head seven times if you don't cooperate

 

[bilbobaggins]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

A year or three back, drifting past Milford Haven in a light breeze, we were approached at speed by a black RIB with 'Police' on one side and 'Polis' on t'other. Thot my navigation was off a bit, and we were actually closer to Glasgow...

Anyway, they wanted to come on board, so I insisted on seeing their warrant cards. You have ( used to have? ) that right. They bashfully wriggled down the zips on their black drysuits, displayed said cards, and honour satisfied, we took their line and they came aboard.

They had us fill in little green cards - we politely asked re the authority, and were told under the 'Stop and search' laws - and after a bit of consultation, they relaxed. Then we offered to put the kettle on, and were swiftly into another, older type of policing altogether.....

That was fine. Then we told them that the unsavoury and dangerous crew they'd apprehended comprised 3 officers of HM Forces, one RN, one RM, and one RAF. "We were wondering about the strange handling of the yacht" they quipped, "and that explains a lot"

I'm a lot less comfortable about this new lot. If our troops in Basra can ( usually ) go around in berets, trying to do 'hearts and minds', why on earth cannot this bunch of 'accidents-looking-for-somewhere' do the same....?

Brave New World.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patrolling the Thames area

[ QUOTE ]
I'm a lot less comfortable about this new lot. If our troops in Basra can ( usually ) go around in berets, trying to do 'hearts and minds', why on earth cannot this bunch of 'accidents-looking-for-somewhere' do the same....?


[/ QUOTE ]

Now come on, a couple of rozzers on a police launch is not going to make a decent 6 part docusoap. Balaclava's, black ribs, throat mikes and SA 80's jumping aboard rogue yachts sailing suspiciously at night.....

Bad boy bad boys what we gonna do....

That's right folks, crack anti terror teams were alerted to the yacht in the dark, notice the obvious criminals in the cockpit keeping their bodies and faces covered with big coats and hoodies, they must be up to no good.

Right folks, got to whisper as we're in hot pursuit on the river now, they must have spotted us, they have changed direction about 4 times now to try and shake us off. Our captain is about to ram them for the safety of that other river user down there about 3 miles away.

Clatter clatter, now our brave boys will run aboard and drag the terrorists from their bunks. Some were seen dropping pills, shortly before throwing up, they must be drug runners.....

Nah, I am being silly, that could never happen!

 

[kengill]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

let's just hope that they don't frighten someone into chucking their on-deck white flares at them at night in a panic in case they think they're theives or something.

I'm curious tho' Just what are the laws that permit the defenders of our state to stop a vessel lawfully on passage?

Ken

 

[ZuidWester]

New freedoms

Many new (and old) UK laws are involved here.

The relevant act is section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. This allows the police to stop and search people without the need to show that they have "reasonable suspicion" that a criminal offence is being committed.

I got stopped and searched at the millenium eye last year in a dinghy. The reason? We wanted to stop there to let someone disembark. I still have the stop and search form as a reminder.

There is also the 1994 Criminal Justice Act, the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, the Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, or how about the 1824 Vagrancy Act. "Every Person wandering abroad and endeavouring by the Exposure of Wounds and Deformities to obtain or gather Alms ... shall be deemed a Rogue and Vagabond... " Or how about the 1361 Justices of the Peace Act? Both have been used recently by the police to harass protestors.

None of this should come as a surprise though.

 

[davidwf]

MIB Harwich

The MIB have been wandering around Harwich for several years now, they seem to spend time chatting to the Marina staff hereabouts and also the larger grey ship of there's ( think its called defender) can be seen on busy weekends just meandering around.

What I think they are doing is profiling ie gathering the names of the various boats out and about so they can create a database of the various movements.

 

[Stemar]

Re: Vagrancy Act

This had some wonderful definitions and included the infamous "sus" law - "Being a suspected person loitering with intent to commit an arretable offence" The classic was the towrag trying car door handles. Door 1 made him a suspected person, door 2 showed the intent and door 3 was to make sure.

After one conviction under the act, you were deemed to be an "idle and disorderly person"
another one got you the title of "a Rogue and a vagabond". After the third strike, you're an "incorrigible rogue".

Maybe we should do the same on S'butt and the Lounge: 500 posts, 1000 posts and 2000 posts? Or should it be going on the S'butt Cherbourg runs?

Blimey, I left the fuzz 30 years ago! talk about brainwashed /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[ZuidWester]

Ever heard of these?

The 1597 Vagrancy Act: Those who would not give up the travelling life may be sent abroad

Or....

The 1530 Egyptians Act: People calling themselves Egyptians banned from entering England, those already here given 16 days notice to leave or risk imprisonment and loss of their possessions., and accused them of fortune telling, deception, felony, and robbery.

The 1554 Egyptians Act: Banned Gypsies from coming into England. Imposed death penalty for those already in England if they didn’t leave within a month.

1562 Egyptians Act: Added those who were ‘counterfeit Egyptians’ who travelled or lived like Gypsies to the previous Act.

 

[Achillesheel]

Re: Ever heard of these?

Blimey, nothing changes, does it?

 

[Clive_Rigden]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

I trust they spend some of their time looking at unseaman-like behaviour, unseaworthy craft and excess of alcohol in the blood of all crew members.

 

[dulcibella]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patrolling the Thames area

Seems to me that we have two problems over "homeland security" at the moment - a shortage of good intelligence info and an excess of agressive and sometimes trigger-happy enforcers.

 

[cliff]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patroling the thames area

[ QUOTE ]
I trust they spend some of their time looking at unseaman-like behaviour, unseaworthy craft and excess of alcohol in the blood of all crew members.

[/ QUOTE ]Good job they didn't stop me on Sunday - they would have had a job finding some blood in my alcohol stream - I am still a little "fragile" - still it is only day 3 /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[bobgosling]

Re: MIB - Black RIB\'s patrolling the Thames area

Wonder if these guys are related to the trigger happy twits who regularly rampage around the countryside pointing H&K sub-machine guns ( why do they need those ? ) at poor camoflaged sods with shotguns surrounded by dozens of plastic wood pigeon decoys ?