Canadian Andre Tamine caught smuggling cocaine into Sydney on a luxury cruise ship is jailed

Canadian man Andre Tamine was to be paid $158,000 for his role in smuggling more than 70kg of cocaine into Australia

For nearly two months, Canadian man Andre Tamine cruised the seas on a multi-country trip bound for Australia, while hiding a drug haul in his cabin worth $29million.

The 65-year-old was to be paid $158,000 for his role in getting more than 70kg of cocaine into the country aboard the Sea Princess – with the help of porn star Isabelle Lagace, 30, and 25-year-old escort Melina Roberge.  

But Tamine will instead spend at least five years and seven months behind bars after his brazen attempt was thwarted by authorities when the luxury ship docked in Sydney in August, 2016.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to importing a border-controlled drug.

NSW District Court Judge Kate Traill, in sentencing Tamine on Tuesday to a maximum of eight years and five months in prison, found he was more than a just courier in the importation.

Former porn star Isabelle Lagace (right) and 25-year-old escort Melina Roberge (left) have been jailed for their roles in the smuggling operation

Former porn star Isabelle Lagace (right) and 25-year-old escort Melina Roberge (left) have been jailed for their roles in the smuggling operation

Roberge (pictured) previously told a court she was motivated to import the drugs by her addiction to social media

Roberge (pictured) previously told a court she was motivated to import the drugs by her addiction to social media

He’d boarded the Sea Princess in England in July 2016 with fellow Canadians Legace, Roberge, and a fourth person, after being offered a role during a trip to Morocco.

The fourth person disembarked in Nova Scotia, Canada, leaving Tamine and the women to continue on to Sydney – with the cruise making stopovers in countries including Ireland, the United States, Panama and Peru.

When authorities raided the trio’s two cabins as the ship arrived in Sydney, they found 72.6 kilograms of cocaine.

Tamine was sentenced for 42.7 kilograms of the drug found in his cabin – amounting to 32.1 kilograms of pure cocaine.

Tamine, Roberge and Lagace were caught attempting to smuggle cocaine on board the Sea Princess cruise ship (pictured) 

Tamine, Roberge and Lagace were caught attempting to smuggle cocaine on board the Sea Princess cruise ship (pictured) 

In an affidavit tendered to court, Roberge wrote that at the time she was 'a stupid young woman who was governed by a superficial desire to take pictures of myself in exotic locations'

In an affidavit tendered to court, Roberge wrote that at the time she was ‘a stupid young woman who was governed by a superficial desire to take pictures of myself in exotic locations’

Roberge and Lagace have also pleaded guilty to their charges and been jailed.

The judge said Tamine was offered more money for his involvement than Roberge and Lagace and she was satisfied his role was greater.

She said his conduct constituted a ‘significant breach’, given the quantity of the drug involved and the estimated street value of up to $29million.

She accepted he was genuinely remorseful, with the 65-year-old writing in a letter to the court he feels embarrassed, humiliated and apologetic to the Australian community.

‘I stupidly did as others told me to do, rather than stand up for myself,’ the letter read.

Roberge's cabin mate, Canadian former porn star Isabelle Lagace (pictured), was sentenced to at least four-and-a-half years in jail in November last year

Roberge’s cabin mate, Canadian former porn star Isabelle Lagace (pictured), was sentenced to at least four-and-a-half years in jail in November last year

The drugs (some pictured) were found on the cruise ship, which docked in Sydney in August 2016

The drugs (some pictured) were found on the cruise ship, which docked in Sydney in August 2016

In the note, he said drugs caused ‘nothing but hurt and destruction’ and he was thankful the drugs on the cruise ship ‘were seized and never made it to land’.

Roberge, meanwhile, pleaded guilty in February for her role in what was the largest ever drug seizure on a cruise ship landing in Australia.

She told the NSW District Court she was motivated by her addiction to social media. 

In an affidavit tendered to court, Roberge wrote that at the time she was ‘a stupid young woman who was governed by a superficial desire to take pictures of myself in exotic locations and post them on Instagram to receive likes and attention’. 

‘I have devastated so many people in the process,’ she said.  

Roberge said at her sentencing hearing that she initially refused when her ‘sugar daddy’ asked her to carry drugs on the cruise. 

Roberge (left and right) met her ‘sugar daddy’ in 2015, and they began an intimate relationship while she worked as an escort for him, according to a statement of facts

She later agreed when told she could enjoy a free holiday in helping the group, after learning that another person had dropped out.

‘I was meant to just be there and look like I was on holiday and look like a cover for everyone else. Other people would be there to look after the drugs,’ she said. 

Roberge claimed she made the decision without thinking about the consequences, and said she had since met people in jail who struggle with drug addictions.

‘I do not want to be part of that. I want to be able to help them,’ she said.

Roberge and Lagace documented their luxury cruise on social media before attempting to import the drugs

Roberge and Lagace documented their luxury cruise on social media before attempting to import the drugs

Lagace (pictured) worked in a bar in the Canadian city of Longueuil and took off suddenly on her trip, telling few about her plans

She declined to name her ‘sugar daddy’ in court, citing fear for her family and friends in Canada. 

Her barrister Avni Djemal said she played no part in dealing with the drugs and had been young and naive.

Mr Djemal said she was ‘one of the most co-operative prisoners in the system’ with a high chance of rehabilitation.

People close to Roberge have previously told Daily Mail she had always set her sights on having the best that life can bring and was ‘all about money, money, money’.

A former boyfriend said: ‘She was a flirt and moreover she was just a superficial young woman. Melina was lovely and attractive, but she wanted money and people who had money.

Roberge (pictured with her mother) said she had since met people in jail who struggle with drug addictions

Roberge (pictured with her mother) said she had since met people in jail who struggle with drug addictions

The Canadians' social media accounts reveal a love of travel and an active lifestyle 

The Canadians’ social media accounts reveal a love of travel and an active lifestyle 

‘It was all about money with her and she was dating older men too because they had the cars and the power to give her the lifestyle she wanted badly.

‘That meant the best restaurants and having nicely done hair and the finest clothes.’ 

He said he had kept in touch with her through Facebook and raised an eyebrow at her lifestyle, which included travelling to the best holiday spots in the world.

‘It was money that drove her, and if she did that smuggling it just shows that money can’t buy you happiness,’ he added. 

People close to Roberge have previously said she was 'all about money, money, money'. Some of the drugs seized in 2016 are pictured

People close to Roberge have previously said she was ‘all about money, money, money’. Some of the drugs seized in 2016 are pictured

Roberge (pictured) claimed she made the decision to smuggle the drugs without thinking about the consequences

Roberge (pictured) claimed she made the decision to smuggle the drugs without thinking about the consequences

Roberge was sentenced to a maximum eight years behind bars with a non-parole period of four years and nine months.

Lagace, her cabin mate and a former porn star, was sentenced to at least four-and-a-half years in jail in November last year after admitting she tried to smuggle the drugs to clear a $20,000 debt.

Lagace worked in a bar in the Canadian city of Longueuil and took off suddenly on her trip, telling few about her plans. 

In an online post, she gave a clue to her carefree lifestyle when she said: ‘If I offend you, cry me a river. I’ll bring snacks and a raft. I will literally float down your tears; eating chips and working on my tan.’

The haul, found on the Sea Princess (pictured), is the largest ever drug seizure on a cruise ship landing in Australia

The haul, found on the Sea Princess (pictured), is the largest ever drug seizure on a cruise ship landing in Australia

Lagace posed for a series of nude photographs which appeared to be taken when she was aged 19

Lagace posed for a series of nude photographs which appeared to be taken when she was aged 19

Lagace posed for a series of nude photographs which appeared to be taken when she was a 19-year-old.  

She was handed a sentence of seven years and six months, but after the non-parole period was backdated to her arrest date, she will likely be released in 2021.

Lagace previously said she was angry to have been involved with the ‘dirty, filthy drug trade’.

‘This will haunt me for the rest of my life… I have embarrassed my family, my friends, myself,’ she said.  

Tamine is set to be released on March 27, 2022.   

In an online post, Lagace said: 'If I offend you, cry me a river. I'll bring snacks and a raft. I will literally float down your tears; eating chips and working on my tan'

In an online post, Lagace said: ‘If I offend you, cry me a river. I’ll bring snacks and a raft. I will literally float down your tears; eating chips and working on my tan’

Lagace was sentenced to at least four-and-a-half years in jail in November last year for her role in the attempted drug importation

Lagace was sentenced to at least four-and-a-half years in jail in November last year for her role in the attempted drug importation

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk