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Detention of Vessels in Venezuela Aurelio Fernández-Concheso CLYDE & Co Venezuela May 2011

Lawyers in : ABU DHABI BANGLORE BELGRADE CARACAS CARDIFF DAR ES SALAAM GUILDFORD DOHA DUBAI HONG KONG LONDON MOSCOW MUMBAI NEW JERSEY NEW YORK NANTES PARIS RIO DE JANEIRO RIYADH PIRAEUS SAN FRANCISCO SHANGHAI SINGAPORE ST. PETERSBURG. Detention of Vessels in Venezuela Aurelio Fernández-Concheso

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Detention of Vessels in Venezuela Aurelio Fernández-Concheso CLYDE & Co Venezuela May 2011

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  1. Lawyers in : ABU DHABI BANGLORE BELGRADE CARACAS CARDIFF DAR ES SALAAM GUILDFORD DOHA DUBAI HONG KONG LONDON MOSCOW MUMBAI NEW JERSEY NEW YORK NANTES PARIS RIO DE JANEIRO RIYADH PIRAEUS SAN FRANCISCO SHANGHAI SINGAPORE ST. PETERSBURG Detention of Vessels in Venezuela Aurelio Fernández-Concheso CLYDE & Co Venezuela May 2011

  2. -. Approx 3000 transitsper year -. Approx 230 MM barrels a year -. 300 MM tons of general and bulk cargoes Source: Nation Channels Institute

  3. 2002 Type of Ship : CrudeOil Tanker Flag: Panama Location: 417 kg Rudder Tunnel Port: La Salina – Lake Maracaibo Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel:No detention of the crew nor the vessel.

  4. 2005 Type of Ship : Bulk Carrier Flag: Liberia Location : Stabilizing Keel Starboard Bow Port : Floating Station Bulkwayuu – Lake Maracaibo Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel: No practical detention of the crew but the ship was detained for a period of 7 days

  5. 2006 Type of Ship : Oil TankerFlag: México Location: Rudder Tunnel Port: Puerto Bajo Grande Gas Terminal Maracaibo Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel: One man was arrested , on board the vessel. The vessel was seized for a period of 30 days.

  6. 2006 Type of Ship : Tanker Flag: Turkey Location: Approx 100 kgs Bilge Keel. Port: Amuay Bay Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel: Crew and vessel were arrested for 45 days and released thereafter

  7. 2006 Type of Ship : Bulker Flag: Liberia Location : Stern rudder axis / approx 100kgs cocaine Port : Maracaibo Lake Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel: Master and vessel were arrested for 45 days and released thereafter

  8. 2007 Type of Ship : Bulk Carrier Flag: Cayman Islands Location: Approx 120 + kgs cocaine /Stern rudder axis Port: Palmarejo Coal Wharf. Lake Maracaibo Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel: The Ukrainian master and second officer were convicted and sentenced to 9 years in prison.

  9. 2008 Type of Ship : Tanker Flag: Greece Location : 90 kgs cocaine and heroin / Stern tube Port : Oil and Petrochemical Industrial Complex José Antonio Anzoátegui, in the Sector of Joseph. Anzoátegui State Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel:The ship was detained, released and ordered seized after leaving the territorial waters. The judge was suspended and a warrant for his arrest issued. The Greek master and 1st officer were convicted and sentenced to 8 years in prison.

  10. 2010 Type of Ship : Tanker Flag: Malta Location: 100 kgs attached to the rudder trunk Port :Detained in Lake Maracaibo with 400.000 barrels of crude on board, while it was sailing from the PDVSA terminal on route to Belgium. Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel: The vessel was detained and 23 crew members arrested on board. After 45 days the Prosecutors decided not to file charges but the Court did not accept their decision. Instead it ordered the continued detention of the vessel and the prohibited the crew from leaving Venezuela pending further findings. Released after 9 months.

  11. 2010 Type of Ship : Collier Flag: Hong Kong Location: Around 80 kgs. of cocaine attached to the rudder trunk Port: Lake Maracaibo Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel: Vessel and Crew arrested for 3 months and then released

  12. 2011 Type of Ship : Cargo Ship Flag: Greece Location: 300 kgsRudder trunk Port: Oil and Petrochemical Industrial Complex José Antonio Anzoátegui, in the Sector of Joseph. Anzoátegui State Arrest of the crew and seizure of the vessel:Vessel and crew of 20 remain arrested after 65 days

  13. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE Article 311:Return of objects. The Public Prosecutor shall return as soon as possible objects collected or seized that are not essential to the investigation.

  14. ANTIDRUG LAW CHAPTER V Common Provisions Secured property, seized and confiscated Article 183: The judge or control, upon the request by the Public Prosecutor, shall order the preventive seizure of movable and immovable assets used in the perpetration of the offense under investigation or for which there is suspicion of illicit origin. The owners of the assetshall be exempt from such measure when circumstances demonstrate their lack of intention, which will be resolved at the preliminary hearing.

  15. CONSTITUTION OF VENEZUELA Article 49: Due process Applies to all judicial and administrative proceedings, therefore: 2-. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

  16. BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002 REASONS

  17. -. Complete lack of knowledge of the competent authorities (Prosecutors, Courts, Antidrug and Law enforcement agencies in general) of the international maritime industry and how it works, starting with ignorance about the structure of a vessel, who prestigious owners are, what is a P&I Club, the nature of the mariners profession etc… -. Lack of a logical, sensible and coherent policy on the point imposed from highest levels of the State. -. Fear by those called upon to adjudge the cases of appearing soft in actions against what is rightly so considered a heinous crime by the Venezuelan Constitution and Legislation. -. Lack of ability to pursue the real perpetrators. BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002

  18. -. Perhaps involvement by some authorities, for which the use of innocent vessels as decoys is convenient. With the foregoing in mind, actions towards a solution should aim at the following: BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002

  19. BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002 ACTIONS BY THE SHIPPING COMMUNITY

  20. With the foregoing in mind, actions towards a solution should aim at the following: • Try to achieve the appointment of a Special Maritime Prosecutor with knowledge of how the maritime industry works. • Try to generate a policy (and declaration thereof) in the relevant authorities of the State (mainly Prosecutors, Court system, Ministry of Foreign relations and anti drug authorities) for the fair treatment of these cases. • Try to generate a written agreement between the law enforcement agencies and the shipping community for cooperation in the fight against drugs. • - Try to achieve a legislative improvement of the relevant legal provisions. BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002

  21. INMEDIATE (EXTREME) SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO OWNERS

  22. -. All owners set to call in Venezuela we must advice the Master and crew of the risks involved, with mention of the specific cases and their outcome. This serves a double purpose. It ensures the crew is more careful than in other destinations (just as they are more careful when they steam say through the Horn of Africa). It also can be a defense for the member before a crewmember arguing that he did not advise of the dangers of the specific destination. As we understand, this is done to a significant degree now. -. Before entering Lake Maracaibo, a letter, in the form of a letter of protest, should be prepared and signed by the Master, (not the agent), to the Regional Commander of the National Guard, with a specific wording, asking for National Guard custody and presence on board during the vessel´s stay at the Lake, citing the problem with express mention of the vessels that have suffered. BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002

  23. -. Owners should perform a private underwater inspection entering the Lake and subsequently, once clear, petition for an official one. The reason for the private inspection preceding the official one. Is to be able to decide on actions if something is find underwater and if so decided have the master be the one reporting the discovery. It does not generate guaranteed immunity but it represents a defense. -. Hire armed guards to a) patrol in launches 24/7 the surroundings of the vessel and particularly the stern and b) keep a watch for suspicious launches, fisherman etc in the vicinity. -. Maintain an ROV watch of the underwater parts 24 hours while the vessel is in Lake Maracaibo. BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002

  24. -. Maintain a sonar watch on the vessel 24 hours. -. Approaching the ETD, carry out a private underwater inspection before the official one. BUQUE 1 Nombre: PARNASO Ubicación de la sustancia: TUNEL DEL TIMON. Puerto donde sucedieron los hechos: LA SALINA – ESTADO ZULIA. Detención de la Tripulación e Incautación de la Nave: No se practico ni la detención de la tripulación ni la incautación de la nave. Año: 2.002

  25. AGOGADOS ENABU DHABI BANGLORE BELGRADE CARACAS CARDIFF DAR ES SALAAM DOHA DUBAI GUILDFORD HONG KONG LONDON MOSCOW MUMBAI NANTES NEW JERSEY NEW YORK PARIS PIRAEUS RIO DE JANEIRO RIYADH SAN FRANCISCO SHANGHAI SINGAPORE ST. PETERSBURG AURELIO FERNÁNDEZ-CONCHESO Email: clyde.co@cantv.net

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