Arms smuggling charges

5. December 2014, Friday
17° 41' 9" S, 178° 49' 37" E


Life imprisonment or fine of up to $500,000 for illegally bringing firearms or ammunition into Fiji.
Cheers!
Do you remember the last log entry? ...ammunition found on board the Odin...?
Great!
I've now got a court date and had to go back to Levuka for this case to appear before the judge there.
To be on the safe side, I leave Odin in Savusavu and take the best ferry Fiji has to offer.
Just 28 years old, so a very young ship, but thanks to Fijian care, the substance is already very battered. No matter she swims!
After 13 hours I reach the old capital, where I will now spend the next 3 days.
Back to the imposing building of the Levuka police department, another interrogation, then the finest fingerprints, everything that can be smeared on paper. Fingers, tips, palms, even the edges of the hands!
I feel like a real criminal!
On the day of the trial I was admittedly a bit nervous considering the maximum sentence to be expected and the imposing court complex, but I think I was able to make it credible that it was an accidental act of ammunition smuggling.
Nevertheless, I got a fine.....converted.....23 euros.
I accepted the verdict!
That's Fiji ;)