Elroy Bent-Brackman, 26, a crew member aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) Norwegian Dawn was arrested for importing in excess of $12,000 worth of Marijuana into Bermuda on July 14, 2009.
Bent-Brackman plead guilty on August 10, 2009 to conspiracy to import drugs and was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment.
Reports say that NCL security was alerted to the smell of burning Marijuana coming from the cabin Bent-Brackman had been assigned. Upon arrival, security officers smelled the substance and demanded to search the crew member's cabin.
The chief security officer conducted a search of Bent-Brackman's clothes and found a red t-shirt, in which was wrapped two clear plastic packages containing what appeared to be two bags of "a dried plant material" plus three hand-rolled cigarettes hidden in his locker. The crew member was detained aboard the Dawn, until the ship arrived in port.
When Norwegian Dawn docked at Heritage Wharf in Bermuda, Bent-Brackman was arrested by Bermuda Police Service Narcotics officers.
Norwegian Dawn had departed from New York City on July 12, 2009.
A Government analyst report said the two plastic bags contained 245.64 grams of cannabis, a little over half a pound. The rolled Marijuana contained 0.51 grams.
Bent-Brackman could have been given the maximum sentence of ten years, but was given a lesser sentence because he plead guilty from the beginning.
A second, un-named man is due to appear at Magistrates' Court in November 2009 in connection with the case.
Elroy Bent-Brackman
Drug Smuggler Crew Member
Norwegian Dawn August 9, 2009
