Canadians charged with drug smuggling on cruise ship

Customs officers seized 95 kilograms (210 lb) of cocaine packed into suitcases in the Sea Princess cruise ship’s passenger cabins over the weekend, officials said Monday.

The trio had boarded the ship at the British port city of Southampton.

It was the biggest drug seizure at an airport or a cruise ship in Australia, Tim Fitzgerald, a regional commander at the Australian Border Force, said.

All three face potential life sentences if convicted.

The accused Andre Tamine, 63, Isabelle Legace, 28, and Melina Roberce, 22, were on the Sea Princess cruise, which started in Britain and has visited Canada, USA, Colombia, Peru and Auckland all before arriving here on Sunday.

The trio was charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug after police and sniffer dogs searched the vessel when it berthed in Sydney.

Authorities believe the final destination for the drugs was Australia.

The arrest of the trio followed a joint operation by the Australian Border Force, Australian Federal Police as well as authorities in the US, New Zealand and Canada, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The trio will remain in custody until their next court appearance on October 26.

Police allege 35 kilograms of cocaine were found in suitcases in a cabin the female suspects shared and 60 kilograms of the drug were found in the male’s luggage in a separate cabin.

Clive Murray, assistant commissioner of strategic border command with the Australian Border Force, said the incident was an example of global co-operation in the fight against worldwide drug syndicates.

“Today’s successful operation has resulted in three arrests and we will not rule out further activity as we continue our investigations”.