Visitor Fined $500 For Using Offensive Words
Appearing in Magistrates Court today [May 22], a 25-year-old visitor who arrived in Bermuda aboard the Norwegian Breakaway pleaded guilty to using offensive words to a police officer.
Chelsea Vega admitted that she had said, “You stupid f****** bitch” to a police officer who was involved as part of a Customs and Police operation on board the ship as it was docked at Heritage Wharf.
Ms. Vega told Senior Magistrate Archie Warner that the team had searched a safe in the cabin that she occupied and had found “two rolls” with “two grams.”
Noting that she was not a resident and that any delay in trying her on the second count would occasion a serious charge to the public purse, the Senior Magistrate asked the Prosecutor how they intended to proceed on the second count.
The Crown said they would accept the plea on the first count and would not proceed with the second count. The Senior Magistrate proceeded to fine Ms. Vega $500 and required the fine to be paid forthwith.
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Keep it classy, cruise ship tourists.
And we want more of such tourists… why??
Because Bermudians are so classy and never speak like that to the police…..
bdalvr, Bermudians know not to talk to police in a foreign country the way she did. Our butts would be hauled off in a heart beat.
Classy tourist…NOT!
Now this will become legal precedent.
F… o.. the man and no possession or importation charges.
Irony is according to the article it’s too much work to process and detain et al.
Give a big up to F……. off dee man………………..
Yes eye……………………..
Now in English?
F the police I beleive.
Ahh OK. Sounded like an angry native.
Really was that neccessary???
SENARIO #1. Fine the visitor $500 and she never comes back and spreads the word to her facebook friends and Bermuda looses thousands of dollars thru potential lost vistor’s. Or
Scenario #2. confiscate the drug warn her and let her be on her way. Then she would tell her facebook friends. Hey don’t take drugs to Bermuda get rid of them before hand. But the island and the people are absolutely fabulous!!!! And we have would still have visitors come and we gain thousands of dollars.
Laws are laws. Why should she or any tourist be treated differently for breaking the law? You think American police officers will give you a break because you’re a tourist? Or any other country? Some places are even worse! Who cares what she will tell people. She’ll come across as a foolish drug user who has the nerve to complain when busted. You really think she’ll tell her fb friends she got busted wih drugs in Bermuda, was rightly ONLY fined for them and to not go there because of it? Absurd.
YES it was necessary! Why is it ok for visitors to come here and think that they can act up and disrespect our police officers? If you go to the US and break their laws, then curse off the officers or resist arrest, you’re lucky if you don’t get a bullet in your a$$. Why should it be any different here?
Tourists are given a break everywhere in the world, including the U.S., for the very simple reason that (a) they tend to be clueless about local laws and customs and (b) arresting tourists causes bad publicity.
If you don’t want to be in the tourism game, with all that comes with it, then be prepared to shut down the few remaining hotels.
You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about..and I’m speaking from experience. Who feels it, knows it. A tourist visiting the US risks a recoded felony, jailtime, hefty fines or both and maybe in some cases be required to enter a drub treatment program for up to a year. And after such, may be barred from re-entry to the great US of A the “land of the free”
Sid, how about good old comon sense…really now…clueless about local laws. Try going to the USA or any other country with drugs and a bad attitude and see what happens. SMH
Did you ever think scenario 2 would have happen if she did not act the a**!
A law broken is a law broken. If visitors think they can import/smuggle banned narcotics into the island they need to be punished “forthwith”.
Yes, the well established local drug importers who pay off the necessary people to sustain the endless (and apparently undetectable) flow of hard drugs into Bermuda need this diversionary tactic.
It’s complete disrespect to the island and its laws to knowingly import drugs whether for personal use or distribution. The rule of law should prevail and criminal acts punished appropriately. This makes Bermuda look like a joke.
Look back at the cases of guns, ammo and undeclared gold coins in conjunction with guns and ammo, where the foreign culprits simply said “I didn’t know” and walked free without even a fine, hell, a local girl ran at another armed with a bladed article in public while yelling “i’m gonna kill you!” and got only probation. There is no justice here, we are a joke.
she asked for everything that happened to her.
this story is BS completely sad day for bermy i was near the lady at the time in question, she said the f word in convo then someone told her cursing was illegal and they got a officer and cuffed her
pathetic people
Questionable, where you there from start to finish of the whole situation? Hmmm…I don’t think so
You were not there. Stop lying!!! #Creep
I was in court when she appeared and she admitted to what she said then gave her ‘reason’ for saying it. She apologized and then cried! Her description of what happened was far more descriptive than what you’re saying. You’re pathetic, stop lying!
I met a tourist in NYC who ended up an unwilling guest of the queen for several months after foolish drunken behavior that left another tourist brutally hurt. He harbors no resentment towards the island and came to terms to with his choices. Boasts about Bermuda every time he talks about it. Still friends with several persons he met while incarcerated.
Moral: He said in all seriousness he wished his country (USA) would deal with foul behavior as swiftly. He felt he wouldn’t have gotten in trouble if he faced similar ramifications for anti-social behavior at home. It was an expensive lesson but one he’ll teach his son.
Great P.R. for the Island I must say… sarcastically! Cops & Customs are sill sneaking around on board our bread & butter cruiseships, breaking into private cabins and safes looking for weed? You’re kidding, right? You lot are SO backward… and you don’t understand how unintended consequences of this foolish policy affect our little market…..
Time to join the 21st century, Bermuda.
Get a clue…really. If you don’t know what you are talking about please keep such ignorant remarks to yourself
Shut up you fool. Do you complain about your private luggage being inspected when you travel on an airplane? Oh right no you don’t. Your behind would have to stay here in Bermuda because the great ol’ USA does not let just anyone into their country and they sure as hell don’t let you bring in drugs. It’s not private. They know the rules when traveling aboard cruise ships. Be quiet.
Yeah, consume huge amounts of liqour and ignore the fact that cruise lines snoop around spying on passengers and then inform on them, I would never board one of these floating petri dishes.
Yet another completely stupid comment. So you’re saying they all consume huge amount of liquor and ignore all the signs posted on that floating petri dish? Yeah sure. They are traveling to another country and have to be searched just like everyone else. Get over it.
Thank the Lord for the wonderful work done by our border patrol for discovering the 2 ton of poisonous substance which that demonistic American drug smuggler tried to sell to the babies of Bermuda if they hadn’t poked into a locked safe on board this vessel, we could have had a national disaster on our hands….whew!! close call!
And what if they did have cocaine or heroin…or whatever drug you think is “poisonous”, or guns that they were trying to smuggle in. Then what?
Cussing at a cop isnt illegal in the great usa… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkZzTRcetWs
Although it is important to have laws to govern and entities to enforce such laws, I think it is totally unreasonable and distasteful that our police and customs actually board these ships to search the rooms of our visitor for illegal drugs. Man our ports, and by all means if the tourists are caught bringing these drugs off the ship penalize them. Just like with the execution of such searches require search warrants, I feel these such searches of cruise quarters are unwarranted and unjust.
Do you feel the same wa about the TSA opening your luggage randomly when you fly? It’s called RANDOM searching for a reason! A lot of the drugs that enter the island are brought in b cruise passengers! Don’t wanna get caught? Don’t bring ANY drugs! Simple as that!
400 TSA agents arrested for theft, terrorists caught 0.
If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you will notice that they too xray and search your belongings and luggage before going on the boat. We may not see this process because after tagging our luggage it leaves our possession we board an our lugage is delivered to your room. But it does happen due to safety concerns(ie weapons, explosives, etc.) Ever think why no bombs get on cruiseships? Or no shootings? But there are laws that should be adhered to and respected. If the cruise ship companies had any “balls” or reapect for their passengers they would not let this type of behaviour happen on their ships(room searches). By all means protect and keep our borders. If customs has to take more time and search you everytime you get off the ship, then so shall it be. In modern day laws it is criminal behaviour to search a room or premises which is categorized as “private” without a search warrant, which is obtained through a judge, on the grounds of sufficient evidence deemed appropriate by this judge, which in any case does go before the court will stand. A lot of information or evidence will be thrown out in court if not properly obtained following the law. A safe definitely requires reasonable evidence to be searched with a warrant. A drug detection dog makes these such searches easy. If a person is allergic to dogs or has a dog living in or on the premises the police will have to search by hand and will have to work harder. In the USA, even if you get stopped in a car the car can be wreaking of marijuana, a search can be held on these grounds but the police are only able to search in eyesight, a glove compartment which is closed maybe even locked requires search warrants approved by a judge. We as people just dont know our rights and often are manipulated by the higher powera into relinquishing such rights out of ignorance. Great job customs and border patrol on your job, but these duties shouldnt be carried out in someones cabin. In the future I hope to see these such searches stopped.
How can they room search these visiting ships? Do they get search warrants. Really. Serious offences of drug smuggling, weapns etc.mcertainly but….
Welcome tourists now let’s search you, hold you to ransom and hope you have a good day.
When dealing with customs I am often close to swearing given their attitude. A discharge would be appropriate. But a nice little earner I guess.
See my comment above……. Same way your luggage gets searched without your consent or sometimes without your knowledge!
Same way your luggage gets searched, to ensure safety mainly to the passengers on these planes or ships is not the same as getting your home searched before or after you pack your bags. In reality this is exactly what it’s like. Such searches are not primarily for drugs, its for weapons and explosives. Customs do your job on the dock. Get it together Bda.. my name says it all!! Be for real please, before we chase all our tourists away and its too late!
this is bermuda, who ever comes here to visit must go with bermuda’ laws, she offended an officer. there is not excuse.
Some of these “officers” are hogs with zero manners, and treat minor possession worse than child molestation or murder, put cameras on them and we’ll be the judge (as if we could ever see offending footage), don’t assume they are always right, they’re not in fact, although we think it doesn’t exist here there is a thing called Police corruption.
EVERYONE responding to this article NEEDS to get a life… WAY TO MUCH time on yer hands!
LOL this is a joke!
I have used “Offensive Words” around police before and towards them but have yet to be arrested.
i don’t know what actually happened in this situation, but i don’t agree with police searching cruise ship cabins.
(unless requested by an employee on cruise ship)
TSA searching my luggage and customs officer coming and searching my room and safe within is a bit different i think. I’ve been on many cruises to many different places and never had my cabin searched, been searched coming off the cruise though.
Also been caught doing some things i shouldn’t have in the states, mexico, canada, and pulled the i am a tourist card many of times and have been let off the hook each time.(mexico situation required some funding if you know what i mean) But it is all about how you carry yourself, getting irate is never the best thing to do.
But as to bermuda police, i have had some great experiences and some bad ones. A gun and taser pointed at me then searched because i was sitting in the parking lot at a public part just talking s#!t with some friends being the worst experience. excuse: there were reports of shots fired in the area( and of course the shooters sit off at public parks to go over what had happened right)