Go fast drug runner stories.
03-17-2005, 06:56 AM
#22
Registered
Re: Go fast drug runner stories.
Carlos Lehderer bought Normans Cay and had an airstrip and docks built to facilitate the transfer of drugs. Normans Cay is strategically located in the smuggling transit zone.
Midnight Express was the classic smuggling "go-fast boat". Lots of fuel and three/four outboards. The original owners and company were indicted and convicted of conspiracy by knowingly assisting drug smugglers. When Customs seized the company they found boats in production which were being fitted with concealed compartments that had hydraulic actuators installed to push the bales under the deck. No claim of ignorance there. In the plea arrangement, Midnight Express was forced to complete their production line and the boats went to US Customs. Several of these boats with 80's HINs are still in service with Customs in Florida and the Caribbean.
The new incarnation of Midnight Express, which has no relation to the original ownership, now makes the 39' Customs interceptors which are rigged with four Merc 225's.
Although smuggling is just as prevalant today, the Miami Vice days are long gone as far as chasing black Cigarettes doing 80mph.
The Feds wised up and changed some laws. Customs can now seize a vessel "outfitted for smuggling" which means they do not need to catch you with the dope onboard. Based on a few articuable facts, a vessel can be seized and forfeited without so much as a seed. The smugglers know this and now prefer disposable boats like a twin outboard center console.
The mother ship concept of open water transfers is still in use and it would be more common for loads to come in on a flats boat or even blow boat.
Besides advances in various radar and detection systems, its very hard to outrun a radio and a Customs UH-60 Black Hawk or USCG HITRON Stingray. Both agencies have also been employing disabling fire to the engines.
Bottom line, it may sound glamorous, and for many probably is, but eventually they all get caught. Speed Kills is an excellent book and details how Ben Kramer smuggled variuos loads including multi-tons in a scow barge.
By the way Kachina Ken, what's your real name and address???
Only joking.
Midnight Express was the classic smuggling "go-fast boat". Lots of fuel and three/four outboards. The original owners and company were indicted and convicted of conspiracy by knowingly assisting drug smugglers. When Customs seized the company they found boats in production which were being fitted with concealed compartments that had hydraulic actuators installed to push the bales under the deck. No claim of ignorance there. In the plea arrangement, Midnight Express was forced to complete their production line and the boats went to US Customs. Several of these boats with 80's HINs are still in service with Customs in Florida and the Caribbean.
The new incarnation of Midnight Express, which has no relation to the original ownership, now makes the 39' Customs interceptors which are rigged with four Merc 225's.
Although smuggling is just as prevalant today, the Miami Vice days are long gone as far as chasing black Cigarettes doing 80mph.
The Feds wised up and changed some laws. Customs can now seize a vessel "outfitted for smuggling" which means they do not need to catch you with the dope onboard. Based on a few articuable facts, a vessel can be seized and forfeited without so much as a seed. The smugglers know this and now prefer disposable boats like a twin outboard center console.
The mother ship concept of open water transfers is still in use and it would be more common for loads to come in on a flats boat or even blow boat.
Besides advances in various radar and detection systems, its very hard to outrun a radio and a Customs UH-60 Black Hawk or USCG HITRON Stingray. Both agencies have also been employing disabling fire to the engines.
Bottom line, it may sound glamorous, and for many probably is, but eventually they all get caught. Speed Kills is an excellent book and details how Ben Kramer smuggled variuos loads including multi-tons in a scow barge.
By the way Kachina Ken, what's your real name and address???
Only joking.
Last edited by Ing; 03-17-2005 at 07:01 AM.
03-17-2005, 07:48 AM
#23
Allergic to Nonsense
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Granite Quarry, NC
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Re: Go fast drug runner stories.
Originally Posted by Ing
Carlos Lehderer bought Normans Cay and had an airstrip and docks built to facilitate the transfer of drugs. Normans Cay is strategically located in the smuggling transit zone.
Midnight Express was the classic smuggling "go-fast boat". Lots of fuel and three/four outboards. The original owners and company were indicted and convicted of conspiracy by knowingly assisting drug smugglers. When Customs seized the company they found boats in production which were being fitted with concealed compartments that had hydraulic actuators installed to push the bales under the deck. No claim of ignorance there. In the plea arrangement, Midnight Express was forced to complete their production line and the boats went to US Customs. Several of these boats with 80's HINs are still in service with Customs in Florida and the Caribbean.
The new incarnation of Midnight Express, which has no relation to the original ownership, now makes the 39' Customs interceptors which are rigged with four Merc 225's.
Although smuggling is just as prevalant today, the Miami Vice days are long gone as far as chasing black Cigarettes doing 80mph.
The Feds wised up and changed some laws. Customs can now seize a vessel "outfitted for smuggling" which means they do not need to catch you with the dope onboard. Based on a few articuable facts, a vessel can be seized and forfeited without so much as a seed. The smugglers know this and now prefer disposable boats like a twin outboard center console.
The mother ship concept of open water transfers is still in use and it would be more common for loads to come in on a flats boat or even blow boat.
Besides advances in various radar and detection systems, its very hard to outrun a radio and a Customs UH-60 Black Hawk or USCG HITRON Stingray. Both agencies have also been employing disabling fire to the engines.
Bottom line, it may sound glamorous, and for many probably is, but eventually they all get caught. Speed Kills is an excellent book and details how Ben Kramer smuggled variuos loads including multi-tons in a scow barge.
By the way Kachina Ken, what's your real name and address???
Only joking.
Midnight Express was the classic smuggling "go-fast boat". Lots of fuel and three/four outboards. The original owners and company were indicted and convicted of conspiracy by knowingly assisting drug smugglers. When Customs seized the company they found boats in production which were being fitted with concealed compartments that had hydraulic actuators installed to push the bales under the deck. No claim of ignorance there. In the plea arrangement, Midnight Express was forced to complete their production line and the boats went to US Customs. Several of these boats with 80's HINs are still in service with Customs in Florida and the Caribbean.
The new incarnation of Midnight Express, which has no relation to the original ownership, now makes the 39' Customs interceptors which are rigged with four Merc 225's.
Although smuggling is just as prevalant today, the Miami Vice days are long gone as far as chasing black Cigarettes doing 80mph.
The Feds wised up and changed some laws. Customs can now seize a vessel "outfitted for smuggling" which means they do not need to catch you with the dope onboard. Based on a few articuable facts, a vessel can be seized and forfeited without so much as a seed. The smugglers know this and now prefer disposable boats like a twin outboard center console.
The mother ship concept of open water transfers is still in use and it would be more common for loads to come in on a flats boat or even blow boat.
Besides advances in various radar and detection systems, its very hard to outrun a radio and a Customs UH-60 Black Hawk or USCG HITRON Stingray. Both agencies have also been employing disabling fire to the engines.
Bottom line, it may sound glamorous, and for many probably is, but eventually they all get caught. Speed Kills is an excellent book and details how Ben Kramer smuggled variuos loads including multi-tons in a scow barge.
By the way Kachina Ken, what's your real name and address???
Only joking.
What's YOUR real name and address?
A lot of people on here know a little (or a lot) about the subject at hand. Bottom line, the game has changed, the old rules (Marijuana-venial sin, Cocaine-Mortal sin) have also gone by the boards. This is now the subject of myths and legends.......
T2x
03-17-2005, 08:24 AM
#26
VIP Member
Re: Go fast drug runner stories.
Definitely not glamorous...
A buddy from Lauderdale told me this story about offloading in the late 70's. He was running with an 'interesting' crowd back then and when they asked him if he would be interested in using his new Formula to help bring in some product he figured why not. He had only had the boat for a couple of months. They get out to the mother ship and it is a total rustbucket- they lash him up and as his boat is riding up an down the side of the tub and slamming against it, rust flakes are falling all over his nice white deck and the rubrail is really getting abused. He's anal as hell anyway, and at this point he's beginning to wonder if its such a great idea. Then the fun begins. The Columbians start heaving 5 kilo bales over the side and they are crashing down on his new deck- WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! Didnt hurt anything but totally freaked him out... really funny to hear him tell it. He never did it again- not from fear of getting caught, but because he didnt want to mess up the boat.
A buddy from Lauderdale told me this story about offloading in the late 70's. He was running with an 'interesting' crowd back then and when they asked him if he would be interested in using his new Formula to help bring in some product he figured why not. He had only had the boat for a couple of months. They get out to the mother ship and it is a total rustbucket- they lash him up and as his boat is riding up an down the side of the tub and slamming against it, rust flakes are falling all over his nice white deck and the rubrail is really getting abused. He's anal as hell anyway, and at this point he's beginning to wonder if its such a great idea. Then the fun begins. The Columbians start heaving 5 kilo bales over the side and they are crashing down on his new deck- WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! Didnt hurt anything but totally freaked him out... really funny to hear him tell it. He never did it again- not from fear of getting caught, but because he didnt want to mess up the boat.
03-17-2005, 08:39 AM
#28
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Re: Go fast drug runner stories.
Originally Posted by Sean H
you don't have to smuggle beer.... 
But accidents still happen...
Last edited by GLH; 03-17-2005 at 08:43 AM.
03-17-2005, 08:41 AM
#29
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Re: Go fast drug runner stories.
Originally Posted by jayboat
...He never did it again- not from fear of getting caught, but because he didnt want to mess up the boat.
03-17-2005, 08:50 AM
#30
Re: Go fast drug runner stories.
Originally Posted by jayboat
Definitely not glamorous...
A buddy from Lauderdale told me this story about offloading in the late 70's. He was running with an 'interesting' crowd back then and when they asked him if he would be interested in using his new Formula to help bring in some product he figured why not. He had only had the boat for a couple of months. They get out to the mother ship and it is a total rustbucket- they lash him up and as his boat is riding up an down the side of the tub and slamming against it, rust flakes are falling all over his nice white deck and the rubrail is really getting abused. He's anal as hell anyway, and at this point he's beginning to wonder if its such a great idea. Then the fun begins. The Columbians start heaving 5 kilo bales over the side and they are crashing down on his new deck- WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! Didnt hurt anything but totally freaked him out... really funny to hear him tell it. He never did it again- not from fear of getting caught, but because he didnt want to mess up the boat.
A buddy from Lauderdale told me this story about offloading in the late 70's. He was running with an 'interesting' crowd back then and when they asked him if he would be interested in using his new Formula to help bring in some product he figured why not. He had only had the boat for a couple of months. They get out to the mother ship and it is a total rustbucket- they lash him up and as his boat is riding up an down the side of the tub and slamming against it, rust flakes are falling all over his nice white deck and the rubrail is really getting abused. He's anal as hell anyway, and at this point he's beginning to wonder if its such a great idea. Then the fun begins. The Columbians start heaving 5 kilo bales over the side and they are crashing down on his new deck- WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! Didnt hurt anything but totally freaked him out... really funny to hear him tell it. He never did it again- not from fear of getting caught, but because he didnt want to mess up the boat.
