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U.S. cargo ship captain arrested, vessel detained in Venezuela
Reuters ^ | 9/7/2012 | Paulo Prada

Posted on 09/07/2012 12:42:10 AM PDT by Petruchio

Venezuelan authorities have arrested the American captain of a U.S.-flagged cargo ship after finding three rifles on board, according to a crew member of the vessel and a U.S. embassy official.

Local officials, the crew member said, suspect the vessel of arms trafficking and on Wednesday held crew members, under armed guard, at the rear of the ship while other officials interrogated the captain. The captain, the crew member added, was then arrested and taken from the ship.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: nationalsecurityfail
I guess Venezuela supports / protects pirates.
1 posted on 09/07/2012 12:42:18 AM PDT by Petruchio
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To: Petruchio
Arms trafficking three rifles on a ship? Must be big rifles, or a small ship.
Or, nobody is afraid of America since Obama is such a paper tiger.
Or, Chavez read that Obama's speech writer makes his decisions for him.
2 posted on 09/07/2012 12:48:30 AM PDT by MaxMax
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To: Petruchio

3 posted on 09/07/2012 1:08:16 AM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: Petruchio
I see Venezuela has a new flag these days.....


4 posted on 09/07/2012 1:16:21 AM PDT by Emperor Palpatine (I need a good stiff drink. How 'bout you?)
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To: Petruchio; Allegra; big'ol_freeper; Lil'freeper; TrueKnightGalahad; blackie; Cincinatus' Wife; ...
Re: "...after finding three rifles on board, according to a crew member of the vessel..."

Gadzooks! Good thing they didn't look... in my closet!

They'd have... hung me on the spot!

But they'ed have been talking... about how hard I tried to stop them!

You believe Obama... will do anything about this?

No, not enough undocumented Venezuelan votes... to make it worth his while--

5 posted on 09/07/2012 1:28:21 AM PDT by Bender2 ("I've got a twisted sense of humor, and everything amuses me." RAH Beyond this Horizon)
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To: Petruchio

This is s trumped up ruse.
They want a reason to confiscate the cargo or the ship or to extort some money from the ship’s owners.

The Rifles were not being smuggled in.
They were openly listed on the ship’s manifest.
Probably carried for defense against pirates.


6 posted on 09/07/2012 3:52:17 AM PDT by Iron Munro ("In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit." - Ayn Rand)
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To: Petruchio

Doesn’t Chavez have an election coming up?


7 posted on 09/07/2012 3:53:34 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: Petruchio

obama will not lift a bony finger


8 posted on 09/07/2012 4:08:32 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: Petruchio

Obama, Clintoon, or whoever should demand the immediate release of these American citizens, with apology.

***crickets***


9 posted on 09/07/2012 4:13:56 AM PDT by Mich Patriot (Today if you invent a better mousetrap, the government comes along with a better mouse. RReagan)
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To: Venturer
"Doesn’t Chavez have an election coming up?"

Chavez election

jumbo shrimp

rap music

10 posted on 09/07/2012 4:15:40 AM PDT by Mich Patriot (Today if you invent a better mousetrap, the government comes along with a better mouse. RReagan)
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To: Petruchio

Sounds to me like they have been taking lessons from the us government.

Before you go to war, first disarm the ones you are going to war with, disarm the American people.


11 posted on 09/07/2012 4:26:15 AM PDT by ravenwolf
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To: Petruchio
I personally believe the stopper has been pulled and every drop of slimey sludgy shitty action will escalate with ONE thing in mind ...

Whatever it takes, the US must be compromised that better assures a 'win' for zero.

Yup ... tin foil IS firmly in place.

12 posted on 09/07/2012 4:28:50 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: Mich Patriot

More like the port authorities thought they could get a little payoff. There has been increased pirate activity off the N.E. coast toward Trinidad over the past 5-6 years but they usually go after yachts sailing alone, not in convoy.


13 posted on 09/07/2012 4:29:19 AM PDT by WellyP (question!)
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To: Petruchio

In years past, the Marines would be sent in.


14 posted on 09/07/2012 5:03:34 AM PDT by 2001convSVT (Going Galt as fast as I can.)
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To: Petruchio; mickie
THE OBAMA FIGHT SONG

From the halls of Cesar Chavez
To the shores of Hollywood
I will fight our country's battles
With a driver and a wood
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep my pinkies clean
I am proud to claim the title
Of my country's Mr. Bean

Leni

15 posted on 09/07/2012 5:39:37 AM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: Petruchio

Remember the Mayaguez!


16 posted on 09/07/2012 6:51:30 AM PDT by apmoh (It's time we get a chair that won't blame everything on Bush...)
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To: MaxMax

i am not a customs nor a weapons expert, but I did spend a 3 years at sea while in the Navy, wouldnt most ships have rifles on them just for the sole purpose of shooting lines across or protecting sailors from sharks in a “man-overboard” scenario?


17 posted on 09/07/2012 7:31:16 AM PDT by Docbarleypop
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To: Petruchio

The largest cartels of black market arms dealers now use Venezuela as the home port and use Chavez’s banking system to launder their money, as reported widely by human rights and antigun trafficking NOGs.

This is a purely political stunt.

More specifically, Chavez (ab)used the power of the state to sell US$3.6B in bonds specifically purposed to buy firearms and munitions from Russia and Belarus, with the arms being intended for the South American black market so Chavez can arm and control FARC and other terrorist organizations on the continent.

http://interamericansecuritywatch.com/venezuela-bond-deals-point-to-arms-buying/


18 posted on 09/07/2012 9:21:54 AM PDT by JerseyHighlander
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To: Docbarleypop
I wonder the same. It seems logical but it may depend on the company and the
countries they visit. I would like to know the caliber and intended purpose of the weapons.
19 posted on 09/07/2012 11:25:21 AM PDT by MaxMax
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To: MaxMax

The article did not specify a caliber. All it said was there were 3 long guns, listed on the ship manifest as ship equipment, and were stored in a locked cabinet. The listed purpose was for security in hazardous waters.


20 posted on 09/07/2012 2:04:34 PM PDT by Petruchio (I Think . . . Therefor I FReep.)
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