Royal Caribbean Waiter Found Guilty of Drug Smuggling

Bermuda’s Supreme Court found Ricardo Stewart, 32, guilty of conspiring to smuggle more than $424,000 worth of cocaine into the country via the ship he was working on.

The former Royal Caribbean employee was a waiter onboard Explorer of the Seas. The Jamaican native claims he is innocent and that he barley knew the accomplices he was alleged to have worked with and denies being involved in any drug trade.

The smuggling ring had been successful until a 3.9 kg package of cocaine was found hidden under a chair in the ship’s disco while it was undergoing refurbishing last June. The found drugs had a street value of $735,000.

Stewart was identified as the ringleader by Adrian Morris, an accomplice. Morris plead guilty to smuggling after video showed him carrying the bag of drugs around the ship. Morris who has since been jailed for his part gave evidence against Stewart during the trial, claiming Stewart had been the mastermind of the smuggling operation and that he had only done what Stewart told him to do.

Stewart’s accomplices have said that he was the link between the guests and crew involved in the operation. When Stewart took the stand he claimed no knowledge of the conspiracy and denied any involvement in the operation.

When officers searched Stewart’s cabin they found $4,900 in cash hidden at the bottom of a washing detergent box. Stewart remains in custody and will be sentenced at a later date. He faces several years in prison.