Yep, I was arrested and jailed in Managua, Nicaragua for possesion of intoxicants (nicotine). The story takes a little time to set up, so bear with me ...
I first travelled to Bluefields, Nicaragua in early 1992, just after the end of the civil war. The first free elections in years saw the election of Violeta Chamorro, a favorite of the people. Soon after her election, through contacts in the U.S. State Dept., I obtained permits to fish in Nicaraguan waters (I have been a commercial fisherman all my adult life). I lived and worked there for several months, catching alot of fish, but finding it impossible to make money on my catch. During this time, the "Contras", who during the civil war were fighting for "freedom", lost there political purpose and turned into bandidos, who travelled the countryside, stealing all they could. I found it necessary to wear a sidearm at all times to avoid confrontation with the bandidos and also the anti-American natives. In May of 1992 i left for greener pastures.
In the Summer of 2010, I had the opportunity to transport a fishing boat from the States to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. The vessel had been purchased by a Nicaraguan national and when I landed in Nicaragua, I was given the job of fishing the boat once it was rigged for fishing. When I left the States, I brought all the e-cig supplies I could carry , including 200 ml of nicotine liquid. Everything in Nicaragua seems to take a long time, and after a few months, while still rigging the boat, I realized I was down to 2 weeks supply of nicotine. Fortunately, Bluefields had the internet, so I went online and ordered an Ego starter kit and a couple hundred ml's of liquid from my favorite internet vendor. Two weeks later, the postman came to my hotel and told me to report to the Post Office for my package. I was elated as I was down to a few days of liquid.
Upon travelling to the Post Office I was severely disappointed to find out that my package was still several hundred miles away in Managua. I had no idea that the government there opens every package in order to assay the import tax on all items entering the country. As there was no bill of sale in the package, and as the Aduana (Customs) had no idea what exactly the e-cigs were, I was questioned at length as to the purpose and value of the items in the package. Affter satisfying the Aduana (I told them that the e-cigs were a 'smoking substitute', never using the words e-cig or nicotine), the tax was assessed and the package forwarded to Bluefields. Unfortunately, when the package reached it's destnation, I was unable to receive it, due to a mix-up in paperwork. A week later I left the country, my e-cigs languishing in a Nicaraguan Post Office.
In April, 2011, I again travelled to Bluefields to start a seafood export business. I brought tons of e-cig supplies so that I didn't run out. One day, while walking the streets of Bluefields, I heard a woman exclaim "Captain Small" in a very loud voice. It was the postmistress. She informed me that I needed to pick up my package as she had straightened out all the paperwork. So that afternoon, 7 months after it was shipped from the U.S., I received my e-cig stuff.
In May, I had reservations to fly to the States for my 2 kids birthday parties. I took the small commuter plane from Bluefields to Managua where I was to connect with my flight to the U.S. While traversing the usual airport security, a policewoman noticed my e-cig chargers in my bag. As soon as I explained that they were for e-cig's and showed her the e-cigs and nicotine, all Hell broke loose. I was handcuffed and taken to Managua Police Station 6 and arrested. After booking I was placed in a holding cell with 5 other prisoners. There were no bunks, just the bare floor to sleep on, but after the events of the last few hours, I was wiped out. I fell asleep but was awakened several hours later. At this point I was moved into 'general population', which turned out to be Bedlam. There were 8 cells, each holding about 20 prisoners each. When I entered, all the inmates began chanting "......, ...... !" in a very threatening manner. As soon as I was placed in a cell, a short young Indian boy grabbed the tails of my shirt while yelling "Camisa" (shirt). I yelled no the first time, but he grabbed it again. I again yelled no and slapped his hands, but he tried it again. This time, while his hands were busy, I landed a short-armed punch to the bridge of his nose. His nose broke, tears and blood started streaming down his face, and my cellmates all started chanting "......!" again, this time however, they approached me with close fists, banging my closed fist in approval. After explaining why I was there, I used my newly-earned popularity to get one of the 6 concrete bunks cleared so that I could lay down and sleep. Several hours later (the jail was underground and so it was hard to judge time) I awoke. Everyone was eating rice and beans. When I commented that I must have missed chow, one cellmate asked me "......, do you have family in Nicaragua ?" When I replied in the negative, the fellow told me that I would not be eating, as there was no food supplied by the jail, all inmates were supplied food by family and friends on a daily basis. Thank God these guys liked me, and I was given rice and beans and orange juice, even a cigarette.
That night I was taken to another holding cell, and in the morning was transported to Court. I was given a Public Defender whose first question was "How much money do you have?". I replied I had a Visa Gold Card. The PD replied I had no worries and would be out of jail in a few hours. Once inside the courtroom, I was seated with a Policeman I had never seen before, my Lawyer, a female Judge who appeared to be about 30 years old, and the stenographer. These people laughed and joked for about 15 minutes, ignoring me completely. Finally, my PD told me I was to be released on house arrest, house arrest being confined to the Airport Best Western, a 4 star hotel, until my sentencing 4 days later. In that time it was necessary for me to come up with $550 USD to pay the Judge. I had no problems with any of that, and checked into the hotel upon release.
The next day, I started thinking about things and realized that I had official papers from the Aduana, clearing my e-cigs and nicotine. I called my girlfriend in Bluefields, and she travelled to Managua with the documents. When I appeared in Court with the papers, and also my GF explaining things in Spanish much better than I ever could, the judge pronounced it legal for me to posess nicotine in Nicaragua, and provided me with an official document stating the same. Of course I still had to pay the Judge $550 for her time.
I now live in El Bluff, a small town on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. Everyone in town knows me, and most have tried my e-cig. I have no problems with the law here, I buy the 3 town cops soft-drinks on a regular basis, which keeps them friendly. I travel to the U.S. regularly, re-supplying my e-cigs every time. And of course I always carry my official document with me ...
I first travelled to Bluefields, Nicaragua in early 1992, just after the end of the civil war. The first free elections in years saw the election of Violeta Chamorro, a favorite of the people. Soon after her election, through contacts in the U.S. State Dept., I obtained permits to fish in Nicaraguan waters (I have been a commercial fisherman all my adult life). I lived and worked there for several months, catching alot of fish, but finding it impossible to make money on my catch. During this time, the "Contras", who during the civil war were fighting for "freedom", lost there political purpose and turned into bandidos, who travelled the countryside, stealing all they could. I found it necessary to wear a sidearm at all times to avoid confrontation with the bandidos and also the anti-American natives. In May of 1992 i left for greener pastures.
In the Summer of 2010, I had the opportunity to transport a fishing boat from the States to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. The vessel had been purchased by a Nicaraguan national and when I landed in Nicaragua, I was given the job of fishing the boat once it was rigged for fishing. When I left the States, I brought all the e-cig supplies I could carry , including 200 ml of nicotine liquid. Everything in Nicaragua seems to take a long time, and after a few months, while still rigging the boat, I realized I was down to 2 weeks supply of nicotine. Fortunately, Bluefields had the internet, so I went online and ordered an Ego starter kit and a couple hundred ml's of liquid from my favorite internet vendor. Two weeks later, the postman came to my hotel and told me to report to the Post Office for my package. I was elated as I was down to a few days of liquid.
Upon travelling to the Post Office I was severely disappointed to find out that my package was still several hundred miles away in Managua. I had no idea that the government there opens every package in order to assay the import tax on all items entering the country. As there was no bill of sale in the package, and as the Aduana (Customs) had no idea what exactly the e-cigs were, I was questioned at length as to the purpose and value of the items in the package. Affter satisfying the Aduana (I told them that the e-cigs were a 'smoking substitute', never using the words e-cig or nicotine), the tax was assessed and the package forwarded to Bluefields. Unfortunately, when the package reached it's destnation, I was unable to receive it, due to a mix-up in paperwork. A week later I left the country, my e-cigs languishing in a Nicaraguan Post Office.
In April, 2011, I again travelled to Bluefields to start a seafood export business. I brought tons of e-cig supplies so that I didn't run out. One day, while walking the streets of Bluefields, I heard a woman exclaim "Captain Small" in a very loud voice. It was the postmistress. She informed me that I needed to pick up my package as she had straightened out all the paperwork. So that afternoon, 7 months after it was shipped from the U.S., I received my e-cig stuff.
In May, I had reservations to fly to the States for my 2 kids birthday parties. I took the small commuter plane from Bluefields to Managua where I was to connect with my flight to the U.S. While traversing the usual airport security, a policewoman noticed my e-cig chargers in my bag. As soon as I explained that they were for e-cig's and showed her the e-cigs and nicotine, all Hell broke loose. I was handcuffed and taken to Managua Police Station 6 and arrested. After booking I was placed in a holding cell with 5 other prisoners. There were no bunks, just the bare floor to sleep on, but after the events of the last few hours, I was wiped out. I fell asleep but was awakened several hours later. At this point I was moved into 'general population', which turned out to be Bedlam. There were 8 cells, each holding about 20 prisoners each. When I entered, all the inmates began chanting "......, ...... !" in a very threatening manner. As soon as I was placed in a cell, a short young Indian boy grabbed the tails of my shirt while yelling "Camisa" (shirt). I yelled no the first time, but he grabbed it again. I again yelled no and slapped his hands, but he tried it again. This time, while his hands were busy, I landed a short-armed punch to the bridge of his nose. His nose broke, tears and blood started streaming down his face, and my cellmates all started chanting "......!" again, this time however, they approached me with close fists, banging my closed fist in approval. After explaining why I was there, I used my newly-earned popularity to get one of the 6 concrete bunks cleared so that I could lay down and sleep. Several hours later (the jail was underground and so it was hard to judge time) I awoke. Everyone was eating rice and beans. When I commented that I must have missed chow, one cellmate asked me "......, do you have family in Nicaragua ?" When I replied in the negative, the fellow told me that I would not be eating, as there was no food supplied by the jail, all inmates were supplied food by family and friends on a daily basis. Thank God these guys liked me, and I was given rice and beans and orange juice, even a cigarette.
That night I was taken to another holding cell, and in the morning was transported to Court. I was given a Public Defender whose first question was "How much money do you have?". I replied I had a Visa Gold Card. The PD replied I had no worries and would be out of jail in a few hours. Once inside the courtroom, I was seated with a Policeman I had never seen before, my Lawyer, a female Judge who appeared to be about 30 years old, and the stenographer. These people laughed and joked for about 15 minutes, ignoring me completely. Finally, my PD told me I was to be released on house arrest, house arrest being confined to the Airport Best Western, a 4 star hotel, until my sentencing 4 days later. In that time it was necessary for me to come up with $550 USD to pay the Judge. I had no problems with any of that, and checked into the hotel upon release.
The next day, I started thinking about things and realized that I had official papers from the Aduana, clearing my e-cigs and nicotine. I called my girlfriend in Bluefields, and she travelled to Managua with the documents. When I appeared in Court with the papers, and also my GF explaining things in Spanish much better than I ever could, the judge pronounced it legal for me to posess nicotine in Nicaragua, and provided me with an official document stating the same. Of course I still had to pay the Judge $550 for her time.
I now live in El Bluff, a small town on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. Everyone in town knows me, and most have tried my e-cig. I have no problems with the law here, I buy the 3 town cops soft-drinks on a regular basis, which keeps them friendly. I travel to the U.S. regularly, re-supplying my e-cigs every time. And of course I always carry my official document with me ...
