Two Canadian women
23-year-old Melina Roberge and 28-year-old Isabelle Lagacé, who were on a dream
world wide cruise were on Monday arrested by the police in Australia, according
to a release by the Australian authorities.
Authorities say
approximately 95 kilograms of cocaine were allegedly found in the suitcases of
the two friends and another Canadian man, 63-year-old man, Andre Tamine who was
travelling with them when they arrived in Sydney on a cruise ship. All three
were arrested in Australia.
According to the
Daily Telegraph, the value of the drugs was $30 million Australian dollars,
which is about $22 million in U.S. dollars.
The bust came on the
51st day of a 68-day cruise on the Sea Princess, reports the Sydney Morning
Herald. The Star states authorities were prepared to search the ship when it
arrived in Sydney after a joint investigation which included the Canadian
Border Service Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
They were aboard the
MS Sea Princess cruise. Tickets for the MS Sea Princess cruise cost around
£8,500
They shared photos
from exotic locales around the world including Tahiti, Peru, Bermuda, Morocco
and more. "Traveling is one thing ... But traveling with an open mind,
ready to taste everything, see everything, learn everything and get yourself
out of your comfort zone .. Is probably the best therapy and lesson ever,"
Roberge wrote in one post from the holiday.
The women had spent
the past two months cruising around the world and documenting their lavish
holiday on their public Instagram accounts.
According to Facebook accounts that
appear to belong to them, Lagacé was a waitress at a Longueuil bar and Roberge
was a manager at a Montreal jewelry store. According to their Instagram accounts,
they began their adventure on July 9 in Southampton, England.
Clive Murray from
the Australian Border Forces said the bust came after work alongside US and
Canadian authorities.
He said:
"These
syndicates should be on notice that the Australian Border Force is aware of all
of the different ways they attempt to smuggle drugs into our country and we are
working with a range of international agencies to stop them."
AFP Assistant
Commissioner Crime Operations Shane Connelly said:
"Today’s
successful operation has resulted in three arrests and we will not rule out
further activity as we continue our investigations.
"The AFP is
committed to working with its partner agencies to protect the community by
stopping these dangerous drugs making their way to Australian communities, and
bringing those responsible to justice."
The trio have been
charged with importing drugs and are due in court this week and now face life
imprisonment if convicted of drug smuggling in Australia, where cocaine prices
are among the highest in the world.
Source: People
magazine/AFP
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