To Little Surprise, Demand for Drugs on Island Met Through Ferry Transportation

Another demonstration of supply meets demand. Alcohol, tobacco and drug smuggling linked to Marine Atlantic ferries has gained recent attention. According to The Gulf News July 28, 2008 article,("Ferrying Drugs") "Smugglers choose federal crown corporation Marine Atlantic ferries most often to move illegal drugs and tobacco from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and Labrador, but police and ferry officials do not routinely screen passengers and vehicles for contraband, according to an investigation by The Telegram. 'We live on an island. Almost everything comes by Marine Atlantic,' wrote RCMP Staff Sgt. Jim Power about smuggling in Newfoundland. The province's other main police force - the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary - also knows drugs are coming across the Gulf of St. Lawrence on federal government ferries. 'We know through our investigations that some of the drugs that have come into the province have Marine Atlantic links,' said Deputy Chief Bob Johnston. Marine Atlantic's ferry service sailing from North Sydney, N.S., is the only link for vehicles being driven to the island of Newfoundland. 'Marine Atlantic Inc. does not have the jurisdiction to conduct investigations that relate to activities referred to in your request,' said Marine Atlantic's interim president, John Roil. Instead, the corporation relies on police to investigate smuggling. The federal Department of Agriculture questions all drivers leaving Newfoundland about plants and vegetables in their vehicles, which are then sprayed to protect against the spread of crop diseases in mainland Canada, but police do not question or screen passengers or cars coming to the province for illegal tobacco or drugs."

The article states, "The RNC and RCMP have jurisdiction on Marine Atlantic ferries. The RNC - like the RCMP - consider the ferry routes an extension of the Trans-Canada Highway. RNC officers do not regularly police Marine Atlantic ferries, but sometimes board the vessels armed with search warrants when they are following up on specific information provided by confidential information. Johnston, the deputy chief, agreed that spot checks, metal detectors and police dogs would likely result in more drug seizures, but he said acting on confidential information is the RNC's preferred way to fight drug smuggling. 'Drug enforcement is not done through random checks,' said Johnston. 'Our strongest defence in terms of dealing with this is the strength of the intelligence community, in terms of information of who's bringing it into the province. We've doubled the size of our drug section, not only here in St. John's, but in Corner Brook and Labrador. So, there's more enforcement."

The article adds, "Police interviewed for this story said drugs also enter the province by courier, the ferry service to Lewisporte and via the Oceanex shipping terminal in St. John's. King said Marine Atlantic is worried passengers would be angered by check points, X-ray devices and police dogs and it is more concerned with protecting the provincial tourism industry, than catching smugglers. The RNC's deputy chief said screening passengers and vehicles isn't a simple matter. 'There's a whole bunch of things you'd have to look at,' said Johnston. 'The impact on Marine Atlantic traffic; is there an infringement by doing that kind of random search? I don't think that's a question that can be answered without in-depth research."