Portugal customs seize cocaine on ship with possible link to T&T, states a Guardian news source.
International investigation is reportedly underway in Portugal
While an international investigation is reportedly underway in Portugal to determine where a cocaine haul found aboard a cargo ship that allegedly docked in T&T waters between late April and early March originated continues, Ministry of National Security officials yesterday declined to confirm or deny the vessel had, in fact, docked here.
According to a report posted to FleetMon.com on Monday, the Singapore Spirit, which operates under a Panamanian flag, was intercepted by the Portugal Navy two days earlier as it sailed the Atlantic.
The brief report read, “General cargo ship Singapore Spirit was intercepted by Portugal Navy and maritime police on Mar 4 and brought to Lisbon. She was berthed on Mar 5, and in the evening same day, police team launched a thorough search of the ship. According to police intel, Singapore Spirit is having on board a large amount of contraband cocaine, probably originated in Trinidad and Tobago, 21 crew detained. Ship’s AIS records miss South American voyage, with last port of call Tekirdag, track start from Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago area, missing the leg from Europe to Caribbean. She was to call Italian port, according to AIS.”
AIS is the Automatic Identification Systems whose transponders are designed to provide position, identification and other information about a ship to other ships and coastal authorities automatically.
T&T Coast Guard decline to confirm
While T&T Coast Guard officials yesterday declined to confirm the ship had docked in Trinidad, they did not deny the boat’s presence in local waters either.
Several calls to the Harbour Master, Maritime Services Division, Port-of-Spain, also went unanswered.
Contacted on the matter, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan directed all queries to the Ministry of National Security.
When Guardian Media reached National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, he too declined to confirm or deny the boat’s presence in T&T, as was being claimed online.
Instead, he said, “In the course of our daily activities in our fight against transnational organised crime, and in collaboration with our regional and international partners…we intercept vessels and conduct searches on a routine basis.
“I am not in a position to confirm or deny whether this particular vessel of which you speak, would have been among them.”
Asked if any of the 21 crew members detained were Trinidadian, Hinds was unable to say and promised to look into the matter further.
In 2018, Vietnamese officials found US$35 million worth of cocaine hidden in a container of scrap metal aboard the vessel Mark Shenzhen that originated from T&T. Customs officers found four large sacks containing 119 kilogrammes (262 pounds) of cocaine on that vessel, hidden among the scrap iron.
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Source: Guardian
