I admit that my papiamentu could be stronger, but did I read in the Extra about a customs/police search on the Summit this week, complete with drug-sniffing dogs? I knew there were searches at the airport from time to time, but this is the first time I heard about a cruise ship being searched.
What's the local word?

The Zero Tolerance Team, with assistance of Coast Guard was on the prowl..cruise ships, cruisers and dive boat crews were all "visted"

no drugs were found ..... a "reliable tip" indicates alot of illicit movement in this area .

Yeah, it didn't look like they'd found anything, but the pictures made it look like quite the operation. Maybe this will have the effect of discouraging some.

Well,
as far as I know they have found one person, who tried to go onto the ship with 5kg cocaïne. I don't know more details. As I understood he wanted to take the cocaïne from Bonaire to another island. I don't know the nationality of that person

Harrie

That's a lot, 5kg. Sounds like what they call "intent to distribute" here in the States.
Shows how naive I am. I never thought about the increased availability of transportation through the growing cruiseship tourism to the island. But I guess it's been easier to gain access at the wharf than at the airport.
I'll watch the Extra for any follow-up articles.
Thanks all!

Time to have some drug sniffing doggies at the docks, too? Maybe. Invest in a few drug sniffers and have them at the docks with each arrival and departure.

Charge the passengers on board the Park Fee and use part of that money raised to support the dogs and their human partners.

Sorry, Harrie, not the "bad" dogs, but the good ones who find the "bad" guys.

Might not be a bad idea.....another reason for me to dislike the influx/barrage of cruise liners to Bonaire's shores. cb

from Amigo this morning

Not much found with big customs control

KRALENDIJK – Upon the initiative of the customs department, there were several control-actions in Bonaire. The control-actions are an initiative of the Customs Department. After a tip, Customs, RST, and the Zero Tolerance team of the police went on board of the cruise ship Summit last Wednesday for an investigation. They found nothing.

Custom officials from Curacao came over to assist their colleagues in an action that took place on Flamingo Airport and the import- and export locations in the harbour. The Custom Department also received assistance from the Coastguard. Customs did the control on land and Coastguard on sea. But not much was found. They only found some conch-shells on board of a boat, which were given to Stinapa, the institution responsible for nature.

The coastguard was still busy this morning with control on board of the yacht Wacawa that sails under the colours of Venezuela and is moored at the pier of Bonaire Nautico Marina since yesterday morning.

Thanks, Susan! It would be wonderful if this activity could remain constant, too. Thanks for the update. cb

Indeed the Summit was searched....unfortunately, it would seem those involved were tipped off before anything was found.

Oh, and incidentally - there are daily searches by drug dogs at the airport.

As Kelly stated, dive boats were also boarded. We were one of the "lucky" ones last week. Not a very pleasant experience seeing a speeding boat in your wake and motions to slow down. Three boarded...one up to the bridge, one "guarding" the steps of the bridge and one in the back of the boat. Where were we going to go? They accompanied us back to the dock and nearly ran over a class of divers by the baby dock. Not a good situation.....made some feel quite uncomfortable. As Megan stated, it was time to play the quiet game.

We later saw them board the water taxi and Mushi Mushi.