Alberta man faces drug charges after being caught on Wednesday with about 650 pounds of methamphetamine in U.S. waters near Bellingham, Washington.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers intercepted the man’s boat at around 10 a.m. near Stuart Island, less than a mile before reaching the Canadian border, according to the federal criminal complaint filed Thursday in western Washington district court.
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CBP agents noticed that the 18-foot Bayliner Capri, registered in Canada, was sinking into the water when they stopped and decided to board and inspect it.
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The man on board, identified as Ted Karl Faupel, claimed he was moving a friend’s boat from Cowichan Bay to Sydney, Vancouver Island, but he had turned around and accidentally ended up in U.S. waters, according to the complaint.
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An inspection of the ship found 28 canvas bags with padlocks, full of crystal-like rocks that tests later confirmed were methamphetamine, according to the complaint.
Aboard bags full of methamphetamine were allegedly aboard the suspect’s boat. US Customs and Border Patrol
Officers also found a 9mm Glock pistol and an ammunition box, along with a book “documenting details of this narcotics smuggling event,” three cell phones, and a single U.S. dollar bill that he had. “28 canvas bags” and a signature (written).) On it. “”
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Faupel said he did not know what was in the bags, according to officers.
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Under interrogation, police allege Faupel said he had been in Victoria looking for work when a man named “Mike” approached him on an excursion with an offer.
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“Mike” offered him $ 1,000 to drive a ship from Sydney to Anacortes, Washington, and he returned it loaded with “luggage,” and when he agreed, he took a picture of Faupel’s driver’s license before sending at work on tuesday.
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According to the complaint, Faupel drove the boat to Anacortes where he met four men who took the boat overnight while staying in a hotel, and then left for Canada the next day.
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Under interrogation, he stated that he drove the boat in circles and considered handing it over to the police, but decided not to do so out of fear for his family, according to the complaint.
Faupel has since been charged with possession of intent to distribute controlled substances.
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None of the allegations have been proven in court.
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