Zuiderdam drug bust

[ZanyZAdventurer]

On 3/23/2022 at 2:08 AM, cruzingnut said:

 

Here's a thought....."Polynesian Ambassador".  They do have people (not sure how many) onboard the longer cruises related to the destinations you are going to.  Would be interesting to find out if one of them "disappeared" after Raiatea.

 

Linda R.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. I’m currently on the cruise, and the Hawai’ian Ambassadors were great. What an unkind comment to post about these generous and knowledgeable people. The drug dealer was a passenger.

Edited March 25, 2022 by ZanyZAdventurer
I got cut off writing

[ZanyZAdventurer]

7 minutes ago, ZanyZAdventurer said:

ABSOLUTELY NOT. I’m currently on this cruise, and the Hawai’ian Ambassadors were wonderful. What an awful thing to say about such generous, knowledgeable people. The drug bust involved a passenger. 

[cruzingnut]

1 hour ago, ZanyZAdventurer said:

2 hours ago, ZanyZAdventurer said:

ABSOLUTELY NOT. I’m currently on this cruise, and the Hawai’ian Ambassadors were wonderful. What an awful thing to say about such generous, knowledgeable people. The drug bust involved a passenger. 

 

I didn't mean my comment to be "mean".  I really didn't.....  I was very happy to hear it WASN'T one of them; that would have been a huge shock.  I'm very sorry for offending you and anyone else...it just wasn't my intent.  

 

Linda R.

[OlsSalt]

Going through the Suez Canal a number of years ago on the Rotterdam I was up very early in the morning to view at the arrival in the port and queue at Suez. No one was up and the ship felt very empty at that hour. From the Crows Nest and upper outdoor viewing areas, I could see the front of the ship and suddenly there was a lot of fuss and noise, observing what looked  local row boat with an outboard motor getting hauled on deck that included few local gentlemen yelling and gesticulating the whole time.

 

I assumed they might be part of the "pilot crew" who expected to use that boat to get back to Suez at the end of the canal, when they would disembark. However, they were dressed in long caftans; not uniforms.

 

Later I was told they had come on board to sell "souvenirs" to the crew (only), and our wine steward claimed she thought those souvenirs were very, very expensive.

 

Always wondered after that comment, if they were selling camels stuffed with "something" other than straw. Or were they simply the pilot crew running a side business, like our tour guides in Egypt who also sold jewelry with your name in hieroglyphics on the side too. 

[chengkp75]

32 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Always wondered after that comment, if they were selling camels stuffed with "something" other than straw. Or were they simply the pilot crew running a side business, like our tour guides in Egypt who also sold jewelry with your name in hieroglyphics on the side too. 

They are the Suez Canal "line handlers", who are there for the rare instance that the ship needs to tie up to the bollards along the way due to a sandstorm.  The boat is used to run the lines ashore.  The trinkets are a "side" job, but one that provides more income than their official job.  They typically are not allowed into the ship, and are always watched by crew, as they tend to steal any brass fitting they can get away with, which will be turned into the trinkets sold to the next ship.  They ask for high prices, but are very amenable to haggling, and you get the price down to reasonable for something that is brass and solder, but is claimed to be gold and silver.

[Boatdrill]

13 hours ago, ZanyZAdventurer said:

The drug dealer was a passenger.

A 27 year old Tahitian male was a passenger on a 30+ day cruise round trip from San Diego ? Travelling alone ?  I'm sorry, it doesn't  make sense. 

 

If he indeed boarded in San Diego as a passenger,  and brought the drugs with him, in his suitcases, that's a loooooong time at sea, in and out of ports, with a cabin steward in his room every day, plus the occasional room inspections.  He'd have to watch over his inventory,  and risk being found out, assuming the meth was in his room the entire time, which is where the remainder of it was found. Why is there the assumption that he would risk sending his suitcases through security in San Diego ? The drugs could have been loaded in San Diego with the other stores, which means inside help.  Even so, he would still have the risk of the drugs being discovered during the long trip to the south Pacific.

 

There were Polynesian entertainers onboard. They're on for a short time. The less time he and the drugs are on the ship, the better chance they won't be discovered, and the delivery is a success. 

 

JMHO. 

   

Edited March 26, 2022 by Boatdrill

[Copper10-8]

8 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Going through the Suez Canal a number of years ago on the Rotterdam I was up very early in the morning to view at the arrival in the port and queue at Suez. No one was up and the ship felt very empty at that hour. From the Crows Nest and upper outdoor viewing areas, I could see the front of the ship and suddenly there was a lot of fuss and noise, observing what looked  local row boat with an outboard motor getting hauled on deck that included few local gentlemen yelling and gesticulating the whole time.

 

I assumed they might be part of the "pilot crew" who expected to use that boat to get back to Suez at the end of the canal, when they would disembark. However, they were dressed in long caftans; not uniforms.

 

Later I was told they had come on board to sell "souvenirs" to the crew (only), and our wine steward claimed she thought those souvenirs were very, very expensive.

 

Always wondered after that comment, if they were selling camels stuffed with "something" other than straw. Or were they simply the pilot crew running a side business, like our tour guides in Egypt who also sold jewelry with your name in hieroglyphics on the side too. 

 

On the 2016 Grand World Voyage on Amsterdam, my first world cruise working, that same boat with the outboard engine as described containing three "workers" for a lack of better word, came alongside and asked for permission to board near the city of Suez. We had been overnighting as part of our convoy of five ships scheduled to start the transit, and I had been notified of their planned arrival the night before  by my boss, the staff captain, so was expecting them. They identified themselves as Suez Canal workers, close to how Cheng described them. Contrary to Panama Canal workers who actually earn their money connecting and disconnecting steel cables and lines as the ship transits via the locks, these three amigos did not give the impression to have to do anything worthwhile on Amsterdam that day. 

 

It was my job to screen them as they came onboard via the pilot ladder and their boat was eventually hauled up via the port side bow crane. With them came a somewhat large "military-type" search light with a disconnected frame and bags full of "merchandise". Their main job, as we were told by them, was to position the search light on one of the railings of the Amsterdam to "facilitate the transit".

 

Mind you, the Amsterdam is (was while with HAL) equipped with a pair of fully functional good size spot/search lights, mounted one each on the port and starboard sides, underneath both bridge wings which are remotely controlled from within that same bridge. 

 

#2; when this illustrious group boarded, it was about 0630 hrs. and already daylight in the runup to the canal, so no need for their search light in my opinion, unless it had the capability to detect the North Korean Navy Whiskey-class submarine that had been following us since Ft. Lauderdale 😉. When asked, the leader stated that "No, his light did not have that capability" So, the light and frame were promptly left inside the pilot break and never mentioned again. So much for night time croc spotting!

 

The leader of the trio then asked me if I could get all three of them a cabin with all the amenities for the duration of our canal transit that day. I advised him that three free cabins with or without upgrades to a balcony were not part of the "special of the day" that day, so that would be a "no go," since I did not want the inventory and amenities of those cabins, attached to bulkheads or otherwise free for the taking, to find new homes in Egypt. He was not a happy camper with that response but that's life in a big city like Suez. 

 

I instructed three of my guards to shadow the "workers" like "stink on a pig" with instructions not to allow them in/on any passenger decks and only to the crew mess and/or crew heads on the deck they had entered. I had heard the same stories Cheng relayed about the prehensile, multi-fingered appendages located at the end of the forearms or forelimbs of these gentlemen being very much on the "loose" side, especially when it comes to anything valuable found on ships and not anchored in place like brass fittings, laptops, cell phones, silverware, crockery, you name it. This instruction which was carried out to perfection by my hard working guys as expected.

 

About two hours after their arrival, the trio set up shop in the ship's Marshaling Area (the area where the pilot boards and luggage is loaded/off-loaded), their bags were emptied on a fold out table, and they started their side business which drew lots of attention from Amsterdam's crew. What did they have to sell? Mostly trinkets, some small carpets, some Egyptian snacks, tourist books, scarab beetles, a couple of Keffiyehs, a baseball cap of a Turkish Navy frigate which had come through the canal, mini-pyramids, flags, a belly-dance outfit complete with veil and pointed shoes (almost purchased that one, but that would have meant having to shave my legs for the next formal night and I didn't have a good feeling Captain Mercer would have appreciated that from his SECO)  etc., etc. Also as Cheng said, they were open to haggling on their pricing, and did some decent business with the Indonesian and Filipino crew. 

 

The entire party of three reentered their little boat on our bow, complete with their not used daytime search light at the end of the transit near Port Said, and were slowly lowered back into the waters of the canal to look for their next ship of transit and an attempt to carry out their game plan with them. I took some pics of this event, incl. their boat, sales setup and of course the big daytime searchlight. See if I can dig them out

 

On a personal note; compared to the slew of folks who board a ship transiting the Panama Canal, I was not impressed with the Egyptian workers and inspectors who come onboard a Suez Canal transit. I can tell you stories about the Suez Canal "health inspector" that day whose job it is to go to the ship's infirmary supposedly to go over the medical staff records of treatment and administration of medicine with the ability to levy substantial fines. What a farce! 

 

      

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

Their main job, as we were told by them, was to position the search light on one of the railings of the Amsterdam to "facilitate the transit".

Pretty accurate, detailed, and universal description of the Suez Canal team.  One of them is the "electrician", whose sole job is to work the searchlight.  This is a "Suez Canal" searchlight, and many cargo ships come equipped with one from newbuilding.  If the ship has one, the "electrician" checks it to ensure it is working, and that's it for 12 hours.  If not, then they install their light and ensure it works, and then go to sleep.  The Suez Canal searchlight is a specialty piece of equipment that throws two beams of light from one bulb, and is designed to light up both banks of the canal without having to move the light.  Use of them is required.

 

Cargo ships are required to provide accommodations for the Suez Canal crew, and most ships will have a "Suez room" that is part of the accommodation block, but can be isolated from the rest of the accommodation by locked doors, and that has 6 bunks and a bathroom.  Most "electricians" will try to get a separate cabin, due to their exalted status, but that is not required, and generally not given, if the Captain has been through the canal before.

 

It is not only the fingers of the line handlers that are talented.  We had one guy, barefoot, who was unscrewing a brass sounding tube cap with his toes, while standing talking to the Chief Mate.

 

Suez Canal transits require an "admeasurer" to come onboard to ensure the tonnage paperwork is in order (tipped with carton of cigarettes), the health inspector (another carton), the garbage inspector (another carton, even if no garbage is to be landed), and then about 5-6 pilots who come aboard and leave at various points along the canal (at least one carton per pilot).  Then there is the boat that comes to the ship while anchored at each end of the canal to inform you of the ship's place in the convoy and what time to heave anchor, and that requires a carton for each member of the crew (about 6).

[OlsSalt]

Thank you Copper and Cheng for all the back-up information and finally getting the answers for that curious event.

 

May I also add anyone going through the Suez Canal should try to get up at whatever wee small hour to view coming into this historic port - long queues of waiting ships lurking in the dark, hot night breezes on deck, dark skies full of stars, exotic skyline of the city with minarets creating haunting outlines, and if timed right hearing the first muezzin call for prayer for the day  when the dawn's light  just starts to creep up.  

 

My own vigil started around 3am and luckily the Rotterdam was allowed the very last place in that particular queue of ships, otherwise we would have had to wait hours to get into the next one. I believe we got underway around 6am and many more were now out on deck. But it was the arrival in the middle of the night joining all those other ships from around the world and just waiting silently along with them was the magical time, wondering what their crew stories were, where they were going and where they were coming from.

 

Being in the "empty ship" at that early hour with only a few other souls wandering around normally busy public areas, in that dark, dry hot dessert air felt like being in a scene from an old Humphrey Bogart movie. I did expect sinister forces with daggers in their teeth to come grappling over the rails. And lo and behold, that is what I thought I was seeing.

 

Only complaint was the glare from interior lights framing the Crows Nest windows made outdoor night viewing difficult.  Wish there could have been an on-off switch close by ...for passenger use. 

[Stakeout]

On 3/23/2022 at 7:46 PM, Copper10-8 said:

 

Hi Cherie; SD Port PD did not notice something odd because they are not the ones doing the luggage scanning at the port of San Diego, contract port security does that and it is they, if they see "something odd," that then notify SD Port Police and Ship Security. So we can assume that in this case, nothing odd was observed in this doper's luggage because, if it was, there would have been follow up and, more than likely, we would be reading about a dope bust in San Diego 😉 

hay Copper.. just thinking out loud here..  and here I thought cruising all over with HAL these many years and sitting back just enjoying my retirement from the Suffolk County PD (NY) some 31+ years ago I would not hear about bad guys blunders and maybe be 'in the mix' on a HAL ship.. sure does bring back a lot of 'cops and robbers' memories I had over the 20 years I was 'on the job' as a Sergeant on Patrol working the streets.. we used to call it 'job security' -- bad guys-- or what we liked to call them--'skels'-- doing stupid things . stay well ..stay safe 🙂

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

luckily the Rotterdam was allowed the very last place in that particular queue of ships, otherwise we would have had to wait hours to get into the next one.

I don't believe you would have been assigned to the next convoy.  There is always a "fast" convoy that sets out first, and passenger ships are always assigned to the fast convoy (passenger ships, naval vessels, and container ships) that can make more than 15 knots.  Tankers, bulkers, and older cargo ships are relegated to the "slow" convoy.

[Mike981]

Since he had no room  for clothes they figured it out, when he wore the same clothes day after day after...

 

Another thought, some of these mules are forced to do the deed. They are threatened by the cartels that they will kill their families if they don't.

 

If you have want to have some interesting reading search, senior citizens arrested for smuggling drugs. Smuggling crosses all demographics and income levels.

[OlsSalt]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

I don't believe you would have been assigned to the next convoy.  There is always a "fast" convoy that sets out first, and passenger ships are always assigned to the fast convoy (passenger ships, naval vessels, and container ships) that can make more than 15 knots.  Tankers, bulkers, and older cargo ships are relegated to the "slow" convoy.

 

Could it be more likely not enough "consideration" had yet crossed hands to be assured we would be in that first queue? The captain kept us up to date and was quite happy to learn we, at the last minute,  had made it. 

 

Traveled by air in Egypt once (Luxor to Cairo). The downtown EgyptAir office agent, even after going the computer  crude as they were in those days,  could not find my reservation. Even even though I had a printed copy in hand. She told me I would have to arrive several hours early at the airport to see if I could get "stand by". What a relief when they called my name for "stand by", only to enter a plane that was not even one quarter full when it took off. 

 

Later as explained by a more seasoned traveler I was supposed to offer something to have the agent "recheck" the computer - and was told a few cigarettes would be sufficient to "find" my reservation. It was the custom. 

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Later as explained by a more seasoned traveler I was supposed to offer something to have the agent "recheck" the computer - and was told a few cigarettes would be sufficient to "find" my reservation. It was the custom.

 

Egypt is at the bottom of the list of countries where I would want to visit again.  

[cccole]

Wow, this is becoming a thread of international criminal intrigue!!!  Copper10-8, Chengkp75, and OlsSalt have provided vivid descriptions of criminal activity while cruising.  It is amazing what the officers and security personnel are confronted with.  Who knew...not me!  I thought "pot" in Jamaica was the biggest concern.  And, thanks to everyone who has provided info on the situation that started this thread.  Cherie 

[chengkp75]

9 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Could it be more likely not enough "consideration" had yet crossed hands to be assured we would be in that first queue? The captain kept us up to date and was quite happy to learn we, at the last minute,  had made it.

While "cumshaw" is ubiquitous in Egypt, the ships pay premium for the fast convoy.  It may have been that your arrival time was a little late to be scheduled, but the convoy was not full, so they allowed a last minute insertion.

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, Stakeout said:

hay Copper.. just thinking out loud here..  and here I thought cruising all over with HAL these many years and sitting back just enjoying my retirement from the Suffolk County PD (NY) some 31+ years ago I would not hear about bad guys blunders and maybe be 'in the mix' on a HAL ship.. sure does bring back a lot of 'cops and robbers' memories I had over the 20 years I was 'on the job' as a Sergeant on Patrol working the streets.. we used to call it 'job security' -- bad guys-- or what we liked to call them--'skels'-- doing stupid things . stay well ..stay safe 🙂

 

Enjoy your retirement and stay safe Sir!

[Copper10-8]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I don't believe you would have been assigned to the next convoy.  There is always a "fast" convoy that sets out first, and passenger ships are always assigned to the fast convoy (passenger ships, naval vessels, and container ships) that can make more than 15 knots.  Tankers, bulkers, and older cargo ships are relegated to the "slow" convoy.

 

On ours, we were led by a Marine Nationale / French Navy frigate, Aquitaine D650, on the way home to Toulon from a tour in the Indian Ocean. Those guys were in a hurry and rightfully so. We also had a huge commercial car carrier in our midst. It was a completely different experience than the Panama Canal but very glad to have had the chance to experience it

 

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

Found the pics of the canal "electricians", their search light, "store" in the Marshaling area, and departure plus some scenic stuff from ms Amsterdam during the 2016 Grand World Voyage 

[ski ww]

Those pictures of the transit of the Suez brings back great memories of our transit. Luxor & the Valley of the Kings was the high light of that cruise.

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, ski ww said:

Those pictures of the transit of the Suez brings back great memories of our transit. Luxor & the Valley of the Kings was the high light of that cruise.

 

As for the transit of the Canal, yes, for me, I am thankful for the memories that I have of that experience.  While my transit was in 2008, there was much military presence at that time.  Valley of the Kings was an interesting experience as was Luxor.  Until I was injured at the Light Show at Luxor.  That was a night that I still remember, but not fondly.   

[bennybear]

Such interesting stories!  @Copper10-8 are those tanks?

@rkcruiser yikes, hope you made a full recovery. 

one of my dearest friends had never travelled overseas and recently travelled to Egypt for her first trip,  needless to say she was absolutely amazed.  Her new husband has family there, and they experienced the baksheesh.  

[dowd]

Better call Saul!

[chengkp75]

5 minutes ago, bennybear said:

Such interesting stories!  @Copper10-8 are those tanks?

@rkcruiser yikes, hope you made a full recovery. 

one of my dearest friends had never travelled overseas and recently travelled to Egypt for her first trip,  needless to say she was absolutely amazed.  Her new husband has family there, and they experienced the baksheesh.  

Yes, those tanks are left over from the Arab-Israeli wars.  The boxy things on the side of the canal are pontoon assault bridges to get across the canal.  The Egyptians have left most of the detritus of those wars all over the desert.  I worked offshore the Red Sea, and we flew out of Hurghada, that was a forward airbase during those wars, and there was burned out tanks, trucks, and planes all around.  One thing you see during the transit is the dredging equipment that they've used up (worn cutter heads, etc), and just dropped it where it failed.

[OlsSalt]

I first went through the Suez Canal in 1977,  and there were wrecked old tanks along the banks back then too.  My photos are pasted in photo albums which shows how long ago it was.

 

Been back to Egypt several  times after that.  I do like Egypt and Egyptian monuments and history  a lot so I hope others are not discouraged about making this fascinating trip. Sorry it became a destination to avoid for too long due to terrorism threats to tourists - the worst.  But people are starting to come back with no reports of any further incidents.

 

Sailing up the Nile to visit the Nubian monuments is still on my bucket list, since on my very first trip in 1969 we were required to get large stamps pasted in our passports to financially support their preservation before the area got flooded by the Russian built Aswan dam.

 

Had to settle for the recent remake of Death on the Nile for cheap thrills, learning it was all fake and sites were recreated on a sound stage in England. But the romance of the location was still there.