An elderly British couple busted on a luxury cruise ship with nearly $1.25 million worth of cocaine is dumping the blame on a mystery Jamaican businessman they call “Lee,” according to a new report.
Roger Clarke, 72, a former chef, and wife Sue, 71, a retired secretary, were arrested Dec. 4 in Lisbon when authorities found nearly 20 pounds of the drug inside their luggage on their $8,500 Caribbean cruise, The Mirror reported. Their trial is set to begin Wednesday in Lisbon.
Court papers released Monday and obtained by the outlet reveal that Roger told authorities a mystery entrepreneur of Jamaican origin — whom he only identified as Lee — paid for their cruise.
“Lee” had asked Roger to buy exotic fruit for sale in the UK, and then pick up “empty” new suitcases in St. Lucia from an unidentified middleman, the traveler claimed, according to the papers.
The mystery man also claimed that the bags could sell for a high price at the London department store Harrods.
The Clarkes were busted by Portuguese police, acting on a tip from Britain’s National Crime Agency, when their cruise ship docked in Lisbon, according to the report. The substance, authorities said, was hidden inside the lining of their four suitcases.
The couple immediately responded “no” when asked if they were carrying anything illegal during an hour-long search on a warrant, according to the court papers.
The crime agency did not reveal how they became aware that the couple could be carrying the illegal substance — but the court files obtained by the outlet indicate that they were convicted and imprisoned back in 2010 for trafficking nearly 530 pounds of cannabis resin in Norway.
The voluminous court documents portray the couple as enjoying ordinary activities like bingo, golf and eating out — but also cruise-hopping to a number of exotic locations, The Mirror reported.
Roger and Sue have been held in separate Lisbon prisons for the past nine-and-a-half months, according to the report. They will be informed at the start of their trial that they could face up to 12 years behind bars if convicted of drug trafficking.
