PHILIPSBURG, ST. MAARTEN-ST. MARTIN - Aug 8, 2007 - The St. Maarten News reports that criminal proceedings began today into the case of import and export of drugs on the RCI cruise ship Mariner of the Seas. In Philipsburg, this case has come to be known as the "Mariner of the Seas" case.

The case began on May 17 of this year, when Philipsburg authorities uncovered and intercepted a drug smuggling operation, in which Mariner of the Seas was allegedly used to import marijuana into St. Maarten from Aruba and to transport large quantities of cocaine to Miami, Florida. At the time, the ship was berthed at Dr. AC. Wathey Cruise Facility in Philipsburg.

The nine suspects stand accused of having attempted to smuggle nine kilos of cocaine, 500 grams of heroin and four kilos of marijuana on May 17. According to the Prosecutor, Paul Mooij, the gang held similar operations every week, hiring rooms at a Front Street hotel to set up headquarters and pack the drugs.

According to Mooij, a Palestinian, a Jamaican, and a Colombian had been the coordinators and merchants of the operation, in which backpacks, shoes and banana-shaped packages to be hidden in men's underwear were used to carry the illegal merchandise off and on the ship.

Wednesday's trial followed Tuesday's conviction of three of the ship's crew members to 18-month conditional jail sentences. The three will be handed over to the Immigration Department and will soon be repatriated to their home country, Jamaica.

Judge Rick Smid will rule in all nine cases on August 29.