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<span style="font-weight: bold">News Source: OTGNR - </span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : 3 # Jamaican cruise s...re (Gleaner)...</span>
BALTIMORE, Maryland, CMC - United States federal authorities have arrested and charged three Jamaican cruise ship employees and two others for smuggling heroin and cocaine through the Port of Baltimore. According to the indictment, the three crew members of Royal Caribbean's 989-foot "Enchantment of the Seas" Gavin Excell, 35, John Swart Garth and Kishurn Neptune, both 27 obtained the drugs in the Dominican Republic during a trip in mid-December. US prosecutors said on Wednesday that the crew members planned to sell the drugs to two people from Virginia at the Walmart Department Store in Baltimore's Port Covington neighborhood. Prosecutors identified the two Virginians charged as Loxly Johnson, 48, and Shenika Nicole Graves, 34. Prosecutors said Johnson was a Jamaican citizen, who was also a holder of a US green card. It was not clear if Graves was Jamaican or has Jamaican roots. Excell, Graves and Johnson were indicted last week on conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine charges. Johnson and Excell remained detained on Wednesday, and Graves was released under the supervision of US Pretrial Services. The prosecutors said Neptune and Garth were charged Tuesday and both remained in custody Wednesday. US authorities said a ship security officer alerted them on December 17 of possible drug smuggling aboard the Royal Caribbean ship. Federal agents said they intercepted Excell when he disembarked, finding 700 grams of heroin stored in his waistband and about 300 grams of cocaine packaged as shoe insoles. Investigators said Excell admitted to picking up the drugs in the Dominican Republic with two other crew members, later identified as Garth and Neptune. Prosecutors said Excell told them that he was instructed to take the drugs to the Walmart store for US$4,000. Federal agents said Excell arranged a meeting at the Walmart parking lot on December 18, which is when agents said they observed Garth entered a sport utility vehicle containing Johnson and Graves. Investigators said they identified Garth by matching him to an employee photo.Prosecutors said Garth later admitted to delivering three packages of suspected drugs to Johnson and Graves, whom he said he did not know. Federal authorities said Neptune was also seen in the Walmart parking lot the same day. Agents said they continued surveillance of the SUV after Johnson had left the parking lot, and that they conducted a traffic stop and arrested him.Police said they searched the vehicle and found US$8,000 in cash under a child safety seat in the back of the SUV. Federal authorities said Graves admitted to coming to Baltimore to pick up the drugs, which she had in her purse. The duct-taped packages were similar to those found on Excell, according to the indictment. "We take various steps to prevent the transport of illegal narcotics, including working closely with US Customs and Border Protection," said Royal Caribbean International in a statement. "Royal Caribbean International cooperated fully with authorities and will continue providing any assistance necessary to prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent of the law," it added.
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : 3 # Jamaican cruise s...re (Gleaner)...</span>
BALTIMORE, Maryland, CMC - United States federal authorities have arrested and charged three Jamaican cruise ship employees and two others for smuggling heroin and cocaine through the Port of Baltimore. According to the indictment, the three crew members of Royal Caribbean's 989-foot "Enchantment of the Seas" Gavin Excell, 35, John Swart Garth and Kishurn Neptune, both 27 obtained the drugs in the Dominican Republic during a trip in mid-December. US prosecutors said on Wednesday that the crew members planned to sell the drugs to two people from Virginia at the Walmart Department Store in Baltimore's Port Covington neighborhood. Prosecutors identified the two Virginians charged as Loxly Johnson, 48, and Shenika Nicole Graves, 34. Prosecutors said Johnson was a Jamaican citizen, who was also a holder of a US green card. It was not clear if Graves was Jamaican or has Jamaican roots. Excell, Graves and Johnson were indicted last week on conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine charges. Johnson and Excell remained detained on Wednesday, and Graves was released under the supervision of US Pretrial Services. The prosecutors said Neptune and Garth were charged Tuesday and both remained in custody Wednesday. US authorities said a ship security officer alerted them on December 17 of possible drug smuggling aboard the Royal Caribbean ship. Federal agents said they intercepted Excell when he disembarked, finding 700 grams of heroin stored in his waistband and about 300 grams of cocaine packaged as shoe insoles. Investigators said Excell admitted to picking up the drugs in the Dominican Republic with two other crew members, later identified as Garth and Neptune. Prosecutors said Excell told them that he was instructed to take the drugs to the Walmart store for US$4,000. Federal agents said Excell arranged a meeting at the Walmart parking lot on December 18, which is when agents said they observed Garth entered a sport utility vehicle containing Johnson and Graves. Investigators said they identified Garth by matching him to an employee photo.Prosecutors said Garth later admitted to delivering three packages of suspected drugs to Johnson and Graves, whom he said he did not know. Federal authorities said Neptune was also seen in the Walmart parking lot the same day. Agents said they continued surveillance of the SUV after Johnson had left the parking lot, and that they conducted a traffic stop and arrested him.Police said they searched the vehicle and found US$8,000 in cash under a child safety seat in the back of the SUV. Federal authorities said Graves admitted to coming to Baltimore to pick up the drugs, which she had in her purse. The duct-taped packages were similar to those found on Excell, according to the indictment. "We take various steps to prevent the transport of illegal narcotics, including working closely with US Customs and Border Protection," said Royal Caribbean International in a statement. "Royal Caribbean International cooperated fully with authorities and will continue providing any assistance necessary to prosecute these individuals to the fullest extent of the law," it added.