Two Norwegian Cruise Line passengers are accused of carrying 112 bags of marijuana on a ship that will sail from Miami to the United Kingdom.
Michael Quesenberry and Savannah Rose Minami were aboard the Norwegian Joy earlier this month when authorities boarded the ship and found them in a cabin together, USA Today reported, citing an affidavit.
Law enforcement using drug-sniffing dogs found 56 vacuum-sealed bags of a “green, leafy substance” in Quesenberry’s luggage, officials said.
It later tested positive for marijuana, according to the affidavit.
He “claimed that this marijuana was for personal use and that he had a medical marijuana card in California,” the document states.
Minami was initially allowed to leave after saying she had just met Quesenberry at the bar, but she was tracked down there after the stash was found and taken back to the cabin, officials said.
Michael Quesenberry and Savannah Rose Minami have been accused of carrying a total of 112 bags of marijuana on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. Reuters
Her luggage – consisting of two suitcases, a handbag and a backpack – was then searched and another 56 vacuum-sealed bags of pot were found, the affidavit said.
The seized package weighed 71.9 kilograms, or about 158 pounds, according to the document.
“Based on my training and experience, the packaging and quantity of marijuana in the luggage belonging to each of Quesenberry and Minami is consistent with the distribution and distribution of drugs,” Department of Homeland Security special agent Joseph Angarone wrote in the affidavit.
The seized package weighed about 158 pounds, officials said. Michael Moloney – stock.adobe.com
“Furthermore, based on my training and experience, drug dealers are increasingly turning to exporting cannabis from the United States to England, following the higher price of cannabis in England,” he added.
The two suspects were each charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Quesenberry and Minami have pleaded not guilty and posted $250,000 and $150,000 bonds, respectively, and surrendered their passports, Business Insider reported.
Quesenberry claims that this marijuana is for personal use. Portland Press Herald via Getty Images
If convicted on all charges, they each face up to 80 years in prison and $4 million in fines.
“The safety and security of our guests is, as always, our top priority. Therefore, Norwegian Cruise Line reserves the right to seize any item on the Prohibited Goods List, and may notify the authorities when necessary,” an NCL representative told USA Today.
Cruise lines prohibit passengers from bringing marijuana on board.
The NCL also prohibits “all products containing CBD, oils, candies, and chewing gum or any products containing THC”.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
