One passenger was recently charged after a cruise ship docked in Sydney, Australia, and over 20 pounds of cocaine was discovered in his stateroom.
The 48-year-old Brazilian national hid the drugs in the ceiling cavity of his cabin, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
When the Australian Border Force (ABF) searched his stateroom, they found 28 individually wrapped packages of a substance that tested positive for cocaine.
The AFP also said they found “body packing material in the ceiling cavity and in the wardrobe, which is used by drug couriers to try to carry drugs across borders or other security checkpoints without detection."
The cruise passenger was charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and one count of possessing a commercial quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug. Both offenses carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
AFP detective superintendent Kristie Cressy said, “This amount of cocaine could have been sold in the community as 10,000 individual street deals of 1 gram for about $3 million."
The drug smuggler had been traveling on MSC Magnifica, a 95,000 gross-ton ship currently on a 120-night world cruise that began on Jan 4. 2025. The ship docked in Sydney on Mar. 15.
However, before reaching Sydney, MSC Magnifica visited ports in Europe, South America, the South Pacific, and New Zealand.
“The cruising season brings with it [the] additional opportunity for criminal syndicates to attempt to smuggle illicit drugs into the country. However, Border Force officers are very attuned to their pivoting tactics,” Supt O’Connor said.
Can you bring weed on a cruise?
Have you thought about trying to sneak weed on a cruise ship?
Because it's legal in many states across the U.S., it might seem tempting to bring on your vacation. However, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, meaning it's banned from cruise ships.
This includes all forms of marijuana, including edibles, CBD oils, vape pens, and even medical marijuana.
While there are success stories of passengers who have managed to smuggle drugs on a cruise, it's not worth the risk. If caught, could be arrested and face serious legal consequences, including being banned from cruising again, fines, or imprisonment.
One cruiser took to social media to explain what happened after he was caught with medical marijuana while sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
"Unfortunately, they saw my medical marijuana...and all the senior security advisors or whatever they're called...have [come] to the conclusion that I must disembark," @infamousxdrew said in a viral TikTok.
He was escorted through customs and immigration by a security officer while the ship was docked in Falmouth, Jamaica. Once ashore, he was responsible for making his own travel arrangements to return home.
Read more: Camo and weed: Why you shouldn't bring camouflage clothing or marijuana on a cruise ship
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on nearly 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
