$3 million worth of drugs found on board luxury yacht

“Ecstasy”, a yacht owned by Goddard Enterprises Limited (owners of Coreas Hazells Limited), was detained in Barbados on Monday after $3 million worth of marijuana was found onboard.

The online publication, Barbados TODAY reported that official sources revealed that the yacht returned to Barbados from Grenada over the weekend with its captain Chris Rogers and Chairman of Goddard Enterprises Limited and Head of the Barbados Private Sector Association, Charles Herbert. A non-executive director with Goddard’s Enterprises was also onboard.

“Acting on a tip-off, the yacht was searched by customs officials yesterday (Monday) and the contraband subsequently discovered.”

“It is understood that both Herbert and Rogers have spent the last 24 hours between District A and Oistins police stations assisting members of the Drug Squad with their probe. Herbert slept at District ‘A’ Police Station last night,” Barbados TODAY reported on Tuesday.

The report also said police were questioning another person of interest who is alleged to have been hired to work on the yacht and may be able to provide additional information relating to the contraband.

Barbados TODAY reported that all parties who were on the yacht could be held responsible for the contraband under the doctrine of common enterprise if no one admitted to knowledge of the drugs being on the yacht.

“This is a private yacht belonging to Goddards. It is not a vessel that every Tom, Dick and Harry off the streets can just board and have the run of it. So those on board would have to provide answers,” Barbados TODAY reported a source as saying.

A Royal Barbados Police Force release said, “On Monday 23rd July 2018 about 1 p.m., members of the Royal Barbados Police Force’s Drug Squad Unit conducted an operation on board a Barbados registered vessel at the Bridgetown Port, St Michael.

“As a result of that operation, a quantity of marijuana was found. Three crew members are currently assisting police with investigations.”

There is uncertainty as to when the yacht left Barbados, but reports are that it visited Grenada before it returned to its home port. Unconfirmed reports are that it may have also visited St. Vincent. Unconfirmed reports also state that a Vincentian was employed on the vessel.

In a statement released by Goddard Enterprises, the company said it has had to make some adjustments as a result of the development, naming Deputy Chairman William Putnam as acting Chairman.

It further stated that while no one has been charged at this point, the company was confident that “police are engaged in their usual high standard of investigations and look forward to putting the matter behind them once the facts are fully known.”

“The company wishes to assure all its stakeholders that it continues to uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity which have been the backbone of this organisation from its very beginnings,” the statement said.

Up to press time, noone was charged in relation to the haul but Herbert’s position as Chairman has been taken over by someone else.

Our local Coreas Hazells is a member company of Goddard Enterprises Limited (a regional conglomerate headquartered in Barbados and listed on the Barbados Stock Exchange).