15 Nov 2012

Vanuatu court fines Phocea skipper for customs breaches

3:16 pm on 15 November 2012

A Vanuatu Magistrate Court has ordered the skipper of the mega yacht Phocea, Richard Malaise, to pay a fine of 3,300 US dollars for customs breaches.

Malaise had pleaded guilty to illegally dropping anchor at Paradise Cove which is an unauthorised port of entry in Vanuatu waters.

On this offence he was fined just over 1000 dollars but there was an additional fine for failing to report the yacht's arrival to the director of customs.

The trial of two caretaker cabinet ministers, Alfred Carlot and Marcelino Pepite, who have pleaded not guilty to illegally boarding the vessel, is expected in April next year.