HAMILTON, Bermuda – Two American tourists have been allowed to go free despite ammunition being found in a bag they were about to carry on board a cruise ship, police said on Sunday.
Police said that at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday a 26-year-old male and his 29-year-old female companion were arrested at the terminal in Dockyard after 40 rounds of 9 mm ammunition were found in the man’s bag.
A police spokesman said the discovery was made by the cruise ship’s security officers and law enforcement officials were subsequently called.
“The Bermuda Police Service carried out a full investigation and has determined that the ammunition was inadvertently carried to Bermuda,” the spokesman said.
“The man had previously used the bag to lawfully carry ammunition to a shooting range in the US. He did not empty the bag before travelling to Bermuda and was unaware he was carrying any ammunition. The police have consulted with the Director of Public Prosecution’s Office and they are satisfied that no charges will be laid in this case.”
The police spokesman said the decision was guided by a recent ruling in the Supreme Court that charges for these offences need more than evidence of just physical possession. It must also be proved that the person was aware of what they were carrying and that they did so with a criminal intent.
“That is not the case in this matter,” he said.
The Americans were released without charge and left the island Saturday but the ammunition was kept by police and will be destroyed in due course, the spokesman added. (CMC)