Martinique belongs to the
Windward Islands, the southern group of the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies.
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French
possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation. Read about this island recently … and the value is Rs.390 crores.
Goods in
transit from one to place to another are the subject matter of insurance in
Marine cargo insurance. Going by the definitions, - "insurable property" means any
ship, goods or other movables which are exposed to maritime perils; and "marine adventure" is any adventure where any insurable property
is exposed to maritime perils;…. Then there is Sec. 41 of Marine Insurance Act
as well.
Daily Mail and other Press
reports of yacht ‘SY Hygeia’ of Halsa chased and boarded as it began its
transatlantic crossing – and the cargo of 250 kg smelled trouble. There are many cargo carriers and ‘Yachts’ do
not generally cargo – this vessel SY Hygeia
was carrying cargo worth £40million headed for the UK. The vessel was boarded by French customs
after a dramatic chase off the Caribbean island of Martinique and two men from
Jersey were arrested after officers
discovered around 250kg of the Class A drug.
It followed an
investigation involving the Metropolitan Police, their French counterparts and
officials from the National Crime Agency (NCA). The Yacht was intercepted as it
began a transatlantic crossing and the
250 kg was ‘cocaine’. Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug made
from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. It produces short-term
euphoria, energy, and talkativeness in addition to potentially dangerous
physical effects like raising heart rate and blood pressure. The powdered form of cocaine is either
inhaled through the nose where it is absorbed through the nasal tissue, or dissolved
in water and injected into the bloodstream.
Two men from Jersey, aged
57 and 42, were arrested and could face prosecution by the French
authorities. Reports suggest that they
had been following a London-based organised crime group, with connections to
the Caribbean, suspected of being involved in the large-scale importation of
class A drugs. Hank Cole, the NCA's head
of international operations, said: 'Together we have stopped a huge consignment
of cocaine close to source. 'We have no doubt that without this intervention
the drugs would have ended up on the streets of the UK where, after being cut,
they would have had a likely potential value of between £30-40 million.
Away there are reports
that outfit from the war-torn African nation, a violent mob - armed with
bayonets, peddle misery to hopeless
addicts desperate for a fix. The immigrant thugs arrived in Scotland via London
around two years ago and are feared to have
quickly built their £1million-a-year drug empire. They avoid being
detected by police by frequently changing hire cars and buying bangers at motor
auctions.
Though there
was a ‘marine adventure, valuable cargo, exposed to marine perils’ – it was not
a legal one. Sec 41. Of the Marine
Insurance Act 1906 (Sec 43 of Indian MI Act 1963) states that : ‘ There is an
implied warranty that the adventure insured is a lawful one, and that, so far
as the assured can control the matter, the adventure shall be carried out in a
lawful manner’.
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
10th Nov. 2014.
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