T&T: CG Boarding

[Ken Bloomfield]

Todd wrote:
"If you think it is hard on us, imagine what a pain it is for drug 
smugglers and terrorists"

This is actually not so tongue-in-cheek as it was likely intended.  I 
suspect that the answer may be "not much at all", for the pure and 
simple reason that I doubt that many smugglers and terrorists merrily go 
wafting past the CG like we trawler types do.  They likely are well 
aware of the whereabouts of the CG vessels, and steer well clear of 
these areas.  I also doubt that a drug smuggler would choose a trawler 
as his boat of choice for landing drugs, a Donzi seems more likely. 

It would be interesting to know, in all the many thousands of trawler 
type boardings that have taken place, how many have thwarted a major 
drug or terrorist ring?  I don't mean to infer that the right of the CG 
to board should be curtailed, but there is no doubt that the decision to 
board or not to board is an elective one made by the CG.  One would hope 
that it is based on at least some faint probability and/or suspicion 
when it happens, but I rather doubt that that is the case.

Ken Bloomfield.