Update: Teekay says Hispania Spirit not detained after Peru cocaine find

Local authorities in the Peruvian port of Pisco have found 211 kilograms of cocaine on board Teekay’s LNG carrier Hispania Spirit.

The Peruvian coast guard raided the vessel on Tuesday after “suspicious activities” were reported to find the cocaine in one of the LNG ship’s compartments with a Venezuelan citizen who was not a crew member, a statement by the Peruvian navy said.

Teekay, the owner of the vessel, confirmed that a stowaway was discovered on board Hispania Spirit in the rudder trunk space, together with a number of packages the stowaway had brought with him while at Pisco anchorage.

“Local authorities have advised us that the packages the stowaway had brought with him contained narcotics. They have taken the person into custody and removed him from the vessel together with the seized packages,” Teekay spokesman Jonathan Anthony told LNG World News in an e-mailed statement late Thursday.

Teekay denied media reports that the 140,500 cbm LNG tanker was detained after it was boarded by the Peruvian National Police.

“The vessel has not been detained but remains in the vicinity to assist the local authorities in a full investigation of the incident supported by Teekay shore operations,” Anthony added.

Hispania Spirit was scheduled to sail to Mexico’s Manzanillo LNG import terminal.

LNG World News Staff; Image: Teekay