Baltimore Cruise Ship Bust Nets Heroin and Cocaine

January 13, 2011-According to reports a cruise ship bust nets close to $100,000 worth of drugs. According to authorities a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was a part of a federal investigation involving an employee smuggling ring.

Saturday authorities searched the cruise ship docked in Baltimore using drug sniffing dogs and found 1 ½ pounds of heroin and close to 1 pound of cocaine. The cruise docked in Baltimore after a 12 day cruise to the Caribbean and according to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol the drugs were found in a compartment that is only accessible to employees.

There were three Royal Caribbean employees from the same ship that were charged with conspiracy to import drugs last month. The arrests occurred after a cruise to the Caribbean according to court documents when one of the employees was caught onshore with similar amounts of cocaine.

The court documents state he allegedly intended to sell the cocaine for $4,000 at a Baltimore Walmart near the cruise ship terminal. The Royal Caribbean cruise employee arrested was Gavin Excell age 35. Two other employees from the ships kitchen were charged with picking up the drugs from a Jamaican man in the Dominican Republic. They have been identified as John Swart Garth and Kishurn Neptune both age 27.

The men charged with conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine from the Royal Caribbean employees at the Baltimore Wal-Mart are Loxly Johnson age 48 and the authorities have not commented if the drugs found Saturday are linked to the arrests that were made, but no further arrests have been made.

A spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of immigrations and Customs Enforcement state the agency is following lead related to the seizure. ICE was also alerted that the employees might be involved in smuggling.

Royal Caribbean spokesperson Cynthia Martinez stated to the Associated Press the seizure was related to the earlier arrests. Martinez later stated she might have had incorrect information.

Martinez stated that Royal Caribbean is fully cooperating with the authorities during their investigation of their Enchantment of the Seas employees that are suspected of drug smuggling. The cruise line will continue to provide any assistance to authorities to prosecute the employees.

Attorney Christopher Purpura, who is representing Excell stated that his client did not alert authorities to the latest drugs found aboard the cruise ship. But did cooperate with authorities after his arrest leading to the arrest of the other two cruise ship employees.