<http://www.oldsaltblog.com> Old Salt Blog _____ <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OldSaltBlog/~3/VNeTbK69f4Q/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email> The Bizarre Smuggling Scheme on MSC Gayane Posted: 20 Jun 2019 10:36 AM PDT <http://www.oldsaltblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/mscgayane2.jpg> On Monday, <http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2019/06/sixteen-tons-of-cocaine-seized-on-container-ship-msc-gayane-in-philly/> 15.5 tonnes of cocaine worth roughly $1 billion was seized by Federal authorities aboard the <https://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ships/Msc-Gayane-9770763.html> MSC Gayane in the Port of Philadelphia. The drugs were found in seven shipping containers. It was one of the largest drug seizures in US history. How the drugs came to be aboard the 9,962 TEU container ship is a bizarre and almost unbelievable story, involving the ship’s crew loading drugs at sea from more than two dozen small boats, operated by smugglers wearing ski masks. Officials are not sure that they have found all the cocaine aboard the ship. <https://www.cbsnews.com/news/philadelphia-drug-bust-ship-feds-seized-billion-dollars-of-cocaine-could-have-30-tons-more-on-board/> Officials told CBS News there could be 30 tons more on board. So far, <https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/06/20/6-people-now-charged-in-over-1-billion-cocaine-bust-at-philadelphia-port-source-says/> six of the ship’s crew have been arrested related to the drug seizure. There is still much that we don’t know. Details of the roles the crew allegedly played in the smuggling effort and the positions the crew members held aboard the vessel remained under court seal while the investigation continues. On Tuesday, the second mate, Ivan Durasevic, and able seaman, Forofaavae Tiasaga, were taken into custody. Coast Guard personnel used swabs to wipe of crew members’ arms and hands. Analysis of a swab conducted on Ivan Durasevic’s arms and hands indicated the presence of cocaine. Sources close to the investigation, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the arrests, identified the remaining crew arrested so far as Bosco Markovic, 37; Alekandar Kavaja, 25; Nenad Ilic, 39; and Laauli Pulu, 32. <https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/06/20/6-people-now-charged-in-over-1-billion-cocaine-bust-at-philadelphia-port-source-says/> CBS reports that, according to the complaint, Durasevic admitted his role to authorities in bringing cocaine onto the vessel after being offered $50,000 by the chief officer. “According to Durasevic, upon leaving Peru on this current voyage, he got a call from the chief officer to come down to the deck, at which time he saw nets on the port side stern by the ship’s crane. Durasevic and approximately four other individuals, some of whom were wearing ski masks, assisted in the pushing of the nets towards Hold Seven or Eight of the vessel. The nets contained blue or black bags with handles. Two or three crew members assisted in loading the cocaine into containers. The whole process took approximately 30 to 40 minutes,” court documents say. What strains credulity is the notion that two or three of the ship’s crew, aided by four smugglers, would be able to hoist and then stow 15.5 tonnes of drugs in less than an hour. Beyond how the cocaine came aboard the ship is the larger question of why the drugs were delivered at sea. Most goods smuggled by container are loaded onshore, usually hidden with among other goods. The container is then sealed and not reopened until it reaches its destination on the other side of the ocean. Loading the drugs at sea from small boats seems to be far riskier and more dangerous than loading the drugs into a container sealed before being loaded onboard ship. This is the second major drug bust on an MSC container ship in the Port of Philadelphia. Last March, nearly 1,000 pounds of cocaine worth around $15 million was seized on the 9,400 TEU container ship, MSC Desiree, on its way from Colombia to Europe. 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