Men arrested for trying to bring drugs on gay cruise ship
The gay cruise was reportedly organised by Atlantis Events. (Roni Lehti/AFP/Getty)
Two men were arrested in Miami as they attempted to board a gay cruise ship carrying several types of drugs.
Washington, DC residents Peter Melendez and Robert Koehler were charged with conspiracy to traffic in illegal drugs and trafficking in illegal drugs, NBC News reported, quoting the Miami-Dade Police Department.
According to NBC, the two men were planning to attend the Allure Caribbean Cruise, which is currently sailing the Caribbean Sea, when they were arrested on Sunday (February 3).
The men were found in possession of a total 27 grams of MDMA, 18 grams of ketamine, 246 grams of GHB, 7 grams of Viagra and 5 grams of Adderall in their luggage.
Police in Miami arrested the two men, who are both from Washington DC, as they were trying to board the gay cruise. (Joe Skipper/Getty)
According to media reports, the two were discovered because Melendez, a government contractor, used his work computer to discuss plans to sell the drugs to passengers.
The emails were intercepted by Homeland Security, who alerted authorities in Miami.
Police said both men had confessed to transporting the drugs in their interview, The Miami Herald reported.
Both men were released on bail on Monday (February 4), according to The Washington Blade, with the bail set at $7,500 for Melendez and $30,000 for Koehler.
DC LGBT+ activist Lane Hudson was quoted as saying in the Washington Blade that he knows Mendelez as a valued member of the local community.
“I’ve known Peter for 7-8 years and he’s always been a wonderful member of our community,” Hudson said. “He is loving, caring, well-liked and one heck of a drag queen. I hope he comes out of the other side of this in a good way. He certainly wasn’t out to harm anyone.”
He also stated: “It’s important for people to know that the circuit scene is tight knit, looks after one another, cares for each other and simply chooses to party in a different way than the drinking crowd.
“It would be nice if the law allowed for this, but for now, it doesn’t. That means that situations like this sometimes occur.”
