Tag: drugs

MSC provided an update after the recent law enforcement drug trafficking operation on MSC Gayane in Philadelphia. Due to this operation, MSC Gayane has been under US government control since 17 June, while the authorities conduct investigations. MSC said that it is assisting and cooperating in any possible way with the authorities and it is not the target of the investigation.

US Attorney William M. McSwain announced that US Customs and Border Protection executed a seizure warrant obtained by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and seized the cargo vessel MSC Gayane as being subject to possible forfeiture to the US. 

BIMCO noted that as the cannabis use for recreational purposes is being adopted in many countries on a global scale, shipping industry must turn its attention to this issue and if needed, update its drug and alcohol policies and procedures.

Greek authorities have seized what they claim to be the world’s largest single haul of super-charged amphetamine Captagon pills, worth more than half a billion euros, onboard a container ship which arrived from Syria at Port of Piraeus, on Friday, 28 June. 

US authorities seized 333 pounds of cocaine from inside a shipping container during a multi-agency examination at the Port of Baltimore on 18 June. The US Customs and Border Protection said this was its largest cocaine seizure in the Port of Baltimore.

The US Customs and Border Protection informed that it has temporarily suspended Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) Customs Trade Partnership (C-TPAT) certification, after US federal authorities seized 16.5 tons of cocaine, with a worth of more than $1 billion from one of its container ships in Philadelphia.

According to local sources, four more crewmembers of the container ship MSC Gayane have been charged in connection with the discovery of 15.5 tonnes of cocaine on board. The sources couldn't reveal more information on the crew members due to the fact that the investigation continues.

Spanish authorities informed that they have captured hashish worth about 20 million euros ($22 million) from a container ship that allegedly was smuggling the drug from North Africa to the eastern Mediterranean. The seizure of the drugs and the arrest of the crew is a result of a six-months tracking by the authorities.

US federal authorities seized 16.5 tons of cocaine, with a worth of more than $1 billion from a ship in Philadelphia. This is considered as one of the largest drug seizures in the US history, according to the US Justice Department. What is more, federal authorities arrested and charged two of the ship's crew members.

On June 6 in port Everglades, Florida, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton offloaded about 26,000 pounds of seized cocaine and 1,500 pounds of seized marijuana. The cocaine is worth approximately $348 million, whereas the marijuana $1.6 million.