A U.S. court on Monday convicted a Canadian skipper for drug trafficking after he was arrested in Colombian waters while transporting 881 pounds of cocaine on his ship.
According to Canadian newspaper The Vancouver Sun, the 58-year-old John Stirling was caught twice trafficking $300 million worth of cocaine and $6.5 million worth of marijuana in 2006, but walked away a free man after Canadian judges were unable to convict him.
Stirling now faces a possible life sentence after his conviction by a Florida judge.
The Canadian skipper hit the headlines after he got caught in November for his unusual character and off-beat one-liners.
When arrested in Colombian waters he identified himself as “The Master” and when being transferred to Miami “Stirling remarked that there was nothing wrong with cocaine trafficking and that the United States should mind its own business,” according to U.S. court documents obtained by the newspaper. “He further remarked that if Canada didn’t have such high taxes, [he and his coaccused] could get legitimate jobs.”
The Sun reported that Stirling will be sentenced in July.