It looks like more than good times and frosty umbrella drinks were on board Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas earlier this month as crew members were caught red-handed by US officials trying to smuggle heroin and cocaine into Baltimore.
The Baltimore Sun reports a criminal complaint filed by U.S. officials on Tuesday alleges three employees of the cruise line had bought the drugs in the Dominican Republic for resale in the U.S.
Apparently the three crew members had planned on selling those drugs at a local Wal-Mart near the cruise terminal but Customs officials were tipped off by a ship security officer for Royal Caribbean.
According to documents obtained by the Baltimore Sun, agents said they found 700 grams of heroin and 300 grams of cocaine hidden in the waistband and shoes of the crew member, The drugs had been picked up from a Jamaican man in the Dominican Republic, brought on to the ship, to be sold once they reached the United States.
It’s not the most unusual method of smuggling we’ve heard of with Gadling reporting back in November when a man caught with drugs tied to his genitals faces five years in jail, but it makes me wonder why bringing a bottle of wine in my luggage is such a big deal.
Flickr photo by mastersellerphotos