Fri, 24 Aug 2007

US customs bust coke-smuggling 'submarine'

Well, the vehicle used is certainly interesting and innovative, but there's another aspect to this article that struck me, and it's one few people think about. Talk a historical jaunt with me for a moment ...

If the year was 1718, and Edward Teach had stopped this vessel it would've be listing as one more reason for the King's Navy to hunt him down and hang him.

If this was 1811 and British forces had seized this vessel looking for "deserters", it would've been listed as one of the causes of the War of 1812.

Yet in 2007, warships routinely stop and search merchantmen on the high seas, sometimes seizing their cargo and crew, without being accused of either piracy or running press gangs.

The crime here wasn't "smuggling", which requires actually bringing "contraband" goods across an international border. The crime here was piracy, and the criminals weren't on a submarine.

US Customs are feeling pretty pleased with themselves after busting a stealthy "semi-submerged smuggling vessel" packed with $352m of Bolivian marching powder.

(link) [The Register]

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