Australian boat captain Michael Normal,
left, is escorted to court by a police
officer yesterday. PHOTO: Marcus Gonzales

An Australian boat captain, who was charged with possession of two high-powered rifles and 2,000 rounds of ammunition, was denied bail yesterday by a Port-of-Spain magistrate. A frustrated-looking Michael Norman, of Nelson Bay in Australia, stood before Magistrate Avason Quinlan in Port-of-Spain 4b Court. He has also been charged with having in his possession 240 twelve-guage cartridges, importing the weapons and ammunition, as well as making a false declaration to the Customs and Excise Division. He pleaded guilty to the four charges. The ammunition charges were laid by officers of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau, and the others by the Customs Division. Gordon, who arrived in T&T last Wednesday from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, docked at Crews Inn, Chaguaramas.

He declared two Winchester shotguns and 1,000 rounds of ammunition. When the vessel was searched, however, it was realised that the rifles and ammunition, which were also on the boat, were not declared. Fifteen people were on the vessel at the time, but three have since returned to the US. Norman told Customs officers that the declaration form given to him did not include a section where he could declare the rifles, hence they were not on the form. His attorney Anthony Cherry told Quinlan that his client was on his way to South Africa, but stopped in T&T for one day to refuel the boat and to install spare parts. He said the vessel, which was used for environmental purposes, was heading to the Seychelles, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean.

“Between those areas there is a lot of piracy occurring, and a security company which will accompany the vessel there requested the inventory of weapons,” he said. He noted that Norman was in T&T for the 2007 World Cup and stayed for one month. “He used T&T as a stopping point, because of the success of his stay for the World Cup,” Cherry said. Describing Norman’s situation as unfortunate and regrettable, Cherry pointed out that his client did not try to hide the weapons, but informed Customs officers of the additional weapons on the boat which were not declared. “He estimated the ammunition to be about 2,000 rounds, as he did not know the amount and on the form he was only asked whether he had a handgun or shotgun, and he said yes,’” Cherry added.

The magistrate questioned whether a shotgun was, indeed, different from a handgun, and was told by police prosecutor Sgt Winston Dillon that there was a difference. She then asked Customs attorney Shirley Sheppard why there was only a section on the declaration form for handguns and shotguns and not for rifles. “What is obvious from this matter is that this form needs refining,” she said. Sheppard agreed. Cherry pointed out that after Norman informed officers of the additional weapons and ammunition on board the vessel, it was searched and he was charged. However, Sheppard said she knew nothing of this claim, that she was informed by officers that the boat was searched for other weapons. Questioned by Quinlan if such a search was usually done, Sheppard said no. An indecisive Quinlan adjourned the matter to today, when she is expected to give her ruling.