Cruise Ship Passengers Caught With 150 Pounds of Weed Onboard

The first thing you’re probably going to do before heading on an international cruise is to check for any suspect items you might have left in your carry-on. If you’re planning on carrying contraband onto the ship, you might want to think again. Two passengers were caught with over 150 pounds of weed on a cruise ship from Miami to the United Kingdom.

According to an affidavit from the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Quesenberry and Savannah Rose Minami were traveling on the Norwegian Joy cruise ship when law enforcement came aboard. Officials found the two in a cabin with two suitcases, a carry-on, and a backpack. 

Officials say that Minami was not in question at first because she claims she just met Quesenberry at the bar earlier that day. When a drug-sniffing dog arrived at the room, officers found 56 vacuum-sealed bags with what they later identified to be marijuana, according to the affidavit.

After the primary luggage search, law enforcement officials escorted Minami back to her room where they found another 56 bags of marijuana, the affidavit said. Minami’s luggage also included two suitcases, one carry-on, and a backpack.

According to court documents, Quesenberry claimed that he was planning to use the 150+ pounds of marijuana for personal use and said he had a medical card. Planning to smoke through 150 pounds on a cruise? Right…

In his affidavit, a Department of Homeland Security special agent said, “Based on my training and experience, drug traffickers are increasingly turning to exportation of marijuana from the United States to England, due to the higher price of marijuana in England.”

The two were taken into custody and have been charged with conspiracy to export a controlled substance, attempted exportation of a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The two passengers could face 80 years in prison or a $4 million fine if they are found guilty on all counts. Both Quesenberry and Minami pleaded not guilty to four of the charges. 

If you're thinking of hitting international waters with 112 bags of weed on a cruise ship, you may want to consult these two passengers first. They seem to have the lockdown on solid excuses like keeping 150 pounds on standby for personal use.

Port Tampa Bay has become among the busiest ports in the country. Along with cargo, cruises from Tampa have become increasingly popular. Where can you sail from Tampa?

Port Tampa Bay hosts five cruise lines. They are, in fact, Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises and Margaritaville at Sea. Collectively, these cruise lines offer a variety of cruises from 4 to 14 days long.

There are over 30 ports of call to visit from Port Tampa Bay. Surprisingly, they span from as far southwest as Panama Canal to as far east in the Caribbean as Barbados.

Whether you are new to cruising, or if you're an experienced traveler, there's something all cruises have in common. That is cruising gives travelers a variety of ways to see the world, one port at a time. Because ships usually travel each day to a new location, guests aboard ship are given opportunities to visit exciting and exotic places that they'll remember forever.

Between the five cruise lines, there are eight ships that call Tampa Bay home. The ships are:

Travel agent Lorrie Durbin of Able Go Travel did the leg work and compiled a list of all of the destinations that can be visited by taking a cruise from Port Tampa Bay. The list intentionally left out the various cruise lines' private island ports of call. The remaining destination ports were then tallied. This is the result of the collection of all cruise destinations from each of the cruise companies' itineraries.

Located in western Caribbean Sea, Roatan is part of an archipelagos off of Honduras.

Roatan is home to the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere.

Celebrity, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean each have ships that sail from Port Tampa Bay to Roatan.

Grand Cayman is the largest and westernmost of the Cayman Islands.

It's home to George Town, the capital of the Cayman Islands. In the water you'll find beautiful coral reefs, while on land, you'll find a city filled with culture and history.

Celebrity, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean each have cruises that visit Grand Cayman.

Limon is located in the Limon Province of Costa Rica, a country of dense jungles, mountains and gorgeous beaches.

First visited by Christopher Columbus in 1502, it wasn't explored by Europeans for another 300 years. Today, you can sail to Limon, enjoy the wildlife and ecotourism.

Celebrity, Carnival and Royal Caribbean all offer cruises that visit Limon from Port Tampa Bay.

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Belize is a Central American country on the Caribbean Sea.

Another jungle-filled country, Belize has plenty of activities available to visitors, such as ziplining, scuba diving and sun-worshiping on the beach.

Celebrity, Carnival and Royal Caribbean each offer cruise itineraries including stops in Belize.

Key West sits south of mainland Florida, nestled between the Caribbean Sea to the south, Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Florida Straights to the north.

One of the most unique places to visit, Key West has a diverse blend of cultural history. Duval Street, Mallory Square and the southernmost point buoy are some of the most well-known sights on the island.

Even though you can drive there, you can also cruise to Key West from Port Tampa Bay on Norwegian, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Margaritaville at Sea cruise lines.

Visiting Mexico is popular for cruise ships. Costa Maya is a home to Mexican culture and adventure.

The archeological sites, jungles and beaches

Cruise lines Celebrity, Norwegian, Carnival and Royal Caribbean each offer cruises with stops at Costa Maya.

The island of Cozumel, Mexico, is in the Caribbean Sea off the Yucatan Peninsula. It's name is Mayan for Island of Swallows.

Settled by Maya nearly 2000 years ago, Cozumel is home to buildings and shrines created by these early residents. Spanish explorer Juan De Grijalva first visited the island in 1518.

All five cruise lines that make Port Tampa Bay home, Celebrity, Norwegian, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Margaritaville at Sea offer trips that include stops in Cozumel.

Contact your favorite travel agent for more details if you're interested in cruising. Having a travel agent to help you book your trip is advantagous over doing it yourself. Here's why.

1. Most travel agents earn don't charge for their services. They are paid commissions by the hotels, cruise lines, and other vendors with whom they work. It would not cost you any more than if you booked the trip yourself.
2. Travel agents are there to help personalize your vacation. They have the resources to put together elaborate vacation itineraries.
3. Agents have access to find special offers and deals not easily available to consumers. Agents will show the offers and specials for which you are entitled.
4. Travel agents are equipped to handle large groups and travelers with special needs. Whether it's a special occasion or accessible needs, travel agents are trained to handle those requests.
5. The travel agent will keep you apprised of all costs and extra charges involved in your vacation that you may not see until later.
6. Agents will help keep your vacation within your budget.
7. Quality travel agents build their business on repeat travelers and referrals. Because of this, they have a strong incentive to give the best service to their travelers.
8. Travel agents have relationships with their venders and travel partners to help find other hidden benefits.
9. Travel agents are there to do the legwork for you. They will save you time by doing the research that could be overwhelming.
10. If there are any issues on your vacation, your travel agent is available to help remedy the situation so you can enjoy your adventure.