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one coast guard The Army veteran was celebrating his birthday on a Caribbean cruise when he woke up to find U.S. authorities arresting him in his cabin.
Arizona couple Jose “Joy” Martinez and Tamara “Tammy” Viljas in their cabin on the final morning of an eight-day cruise in the southern Caribbean. carnival horizon when they get an unexpected wake-up call.
The couple and their friends returned to Miami, Florida, on Monday, January 5, after traveling around the Dominican Republic and the Antilles for Mr. Martinez’s 50th birthday.
Just before 7 a.m. that morning, the couple heard a knock on the cabin door.
“It immediately turned on and the flashlight came into the room,” Ms. Vilhas told USA Today. “Three giants dressed in black and holding weapons, [were] Pointing flashlights at us and yelling. “
The men then handcuffed Martinez, a former Coast Guard veteran, while his wife filmed the ordeal.
“A female agent came in. [and] Ms Vilhas added: “She jumped on me and tried to grab my phone but she ended up taking it.”
“Then they disappeared for 90 minutes with Joey’s and my cellphones.” Mr. Martinez was held in a holding cell at the Port of Miami while officials checked his credentials.
Eventually, authorities explained to the veteran that they were actually looking for another person with the same name as Mr. Martinez who had a warrant for his arrest. arrest.
Martinez said he was released and taken back to the ship but received no apology.
“If it was just based on my name, what other due diligence did they do?” Mr. Martinez told Arizona Radio More. “What other information did they use to justify the means by which they entered the room and pulled me out?”
“He has no record. He’s never been arrested. He’s a veteran. He’s been cleared by the FBI. I mean, you know, he’s a regular Joe. I thought he was going to come back, but the trauma that’s going to happen in those 90 minutes is what I’m worried about,” Ms. Vilhas added to Phoenix Radio Kojin Zhongzhong.
Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement independent: “We are aware that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a guest in custody as a suspect.
“This is a law enforcement matter and Carnival is not involved in this investigation or operation,” they added. “We are referring all further questions to the appropriate authorities.”
The couple added that they have yet to receive an apology from U.S. Customs and Border Protection or communication from Carnival following the incident.
After the ordeal, the couple said they couldn’t stop crying throughout the day and continued to feel the effects of the situation.
“What happened to me shows that this can happen to anyone,” Mr Martinez told reporters. ABC15. “It’s happening to a lot of people out there, maybe not on cruise ships, but on the streets or in their homes. It’s not right. There’s no humanity in this. It’s unnecessary. It’s dehumanizing.”
independent CBP has been contacted for comment.
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