17 Filipino, Russian and Ukrainian sailors arrested in Venezuela

Chemical tanker JOSE PROGRESS, IMO 9392391, dwt 47018, built 2009, flag Panama, manager BERNHARD SCHULTE SINGAPORE (source Equasis).

Venezuelan Prosecutor Office issued a statement on Oct 19, saying that 17 crew of tanker JOSE PROGRESS and 3 Venezuelans were arrested, as suspects in drug trafficking.

Miraculously, previously claimed 147 kilos of cocaine shrank to 124 kilos. Arrested crew include 13 Filipinos: Filipinos Enrico Gómez, Elpidio Leones, Ibrahim Nodi, Rodney Insong, Derwing Oabel, Daryl Alveniz, Hans Villamor, Jan Amor, Charilie Mella, Anthony Sindagan, Néstor Molina, Constante Gano and Kendric Calanog; 3 Russians: Alexander Kravtson, Oleg Varkamov and Michael Marasigan; and 1 Ukrainian: Yuriy Trybusian. All are charged with drug trafficking and criminal complicity. The ship is also arrested.

All tanker’s crew involved in trafficking of mere 124 kilos of cocaine, found attached to underwater hull? Sounds like a sheer fantasy of Venezuelan Law Enforcement authorities, if it is the law they enforce. It is not an unheard of precedent – it did happen before, in crisis-stricken Venezuela. The crews and the ships were arrested, crews undergoing quite an ordeal until they were released. The ships were confiscated, with confiscation later found as illegal by international Courts. Probably, it’s one more such case.

SOURCE: http://maritimebulletin.net/2018/10/20/17-filipino-russian-and-ukrainian-sailors-arrested-in-venezuela/

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