*Updated Apr. 6*
Tulum, Quintana Roo -
An American sloop ran aground off this famed Riviera Maya resort early Thursday evening.
It was carrying a 33 year old man, his 27 year old pregnant (six months) wife and their child of about 15 months - and a thousand rounds of ammunition used in the AK-47 assault rifle and other firearms.
Mexican marine and naval forces quickly arrived on the scene and took the munitions as well as six weapons into custody, reported the local press, which gave this account:
The sloop came ashore about 6:30 p.m., striking rocks as it did so. The master of the vessel, Jacob Joseph Kleczka, his wife, Rachel Marie Carriveau and their toddler, Rachel Marie Kleczka, were able to disembark and walk to a five star hotel just meters from the beach. They asked for help from local maritime units and for a room to spend the night. Kleczka identified himself as an American citizen, but neither he nor his wife were able to present U.S. passports, nor did they have one for their child.
When security forces arrived on the scene Kleczka told them there were two handguns on the vessel. They boarded it and discovered the weapons, together with three others in various locations. They also found 400 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and another 600 7.62 mm cartridges, used in the AK-47. The rifle, called the cuerno de chivas or "goat horns" in Mexico because of its magazine shape, is a mainstay of drug cartels and organized crime. It's responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in this country in recent years.
Kleczka told authorities that he left Miami a week ago and was headed for California via the Panama Canal, but when his auxiliary engine gave out he lost control of the sloop in heavy seas. He gave no plausible explanation for the weapons and ammo on board. The family remains under house arrest in Quintana Roo pending the possible filing of federal charges. The possession of guns and cartridges is universally prohibited in Mexico and subject to severe penalties (With a little help from his friends, Jon Hammar released).
The name Jacob Joseph Kleczka returns several social media hits, with an age matching the suspect in this case.
The area of yesterday's shipwreck is notorious for drug trafficking, primarily Colombian cocaine bound for the U.S. and European markets. More dope comes ashore in Quintana Roo.
Theories abound in the Spanish press as to the consignees of the sloop's cargo, ranging from Cuban rebels to Mexican drug cartels, of which there are an unlimited supply in Quintana Roo state.
Apr. 6 - Things just keep getting worse for Captain Kleczka and family. He and wife/first mate Rachel have been taken to a federal installation in Cancún, where it appears increasingly likely they will be charged with arms trafficking - a very serious offense under Mexican law. Their sloop is under tight guard by military forces, who continue to search every nook and cranny of the vessel for weapons, munitions and drugs. Divers from the elite Marina Armada are going into the waters near the beached vessel looking for more inculpatory evidence; news reports indicate that authorities believe Kleczka was carrying drugs, too. The passport-less accused couple have requested consular assistance from the U.S. mission in Cancún, but if they're expecting a quick ticket back to the States they're in for a surprise. Meanwhile, Baby Rachel presumably is in the competent care of Mexican social services, mastering her first words in Spanish: agua, pan, leche - perhaps even, mamá y papá ya se van a la corte! ("mommy and daddy are going to court!").
Mar. 31 - Mexican drug traffickers find ready assistance in mules carrying American passports
Aug. 5 - On Playa del Carmen's famous Fifth Avenue, drug market flourishes and "anarchy prevails"
Jun. 12 - British tourist raped and robbed on beach in Tulum
© MGRR 2013. All rights reserved. This article may be cited or briefly quoted with proper attribution or a hyperlink, but not reproduced without permission.
Based on his photo he looks like an Aryan brotherhood type dude. As for Sloop John B. reference: priceless.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.diariorespuesta.com.mx/01012013/index.php?view=article&catid=100%3Apolicia&id=59990%3Aencalla-velero-con-familia-y-arsenal-&tmpl=component&print=1&page&option=com_content&Itemid=358
Lets hope that Mexico prosecutes them to the fullest extent possible. And no 'help from their friends' permitted.
ReplyDeleteNo passports???? Was he gonna shoot his way through The Canal?
ReplyDeleteDumbass!
Traveling and no passport.
ReplyDeleteSailing and no sailing skills.
Seeking lodging at a 5 star and no reservation.
Parent and no marraige.
Head and no brain.
Sounds like he has trouble completing a task. I bet he was hell in junior high.
Just want to ad that Jacob is actually a nice guy, because he has Jesus across his forehead doesn't mean he is an any gang. So what if he is a little different , who are you to judge? He was actually traveling to Beliz. He has land their and wanted to bring his family and start a restaurant there. So he is a free will type guy so this makes him a criminal? He had no plans to stop in mexico but he smelled gas on the back of his boat so he wanted to clean it up and a few other things they needed so it was an emergency stop. Their was no ak47 as you can see in the pictures. If you were traveling through many countries out on the ocean wouldn't you want to protect your family? There was no Assault rifles on board. This article is BS. Also the toddler was never in the hands of the Mexican social services. The toddler was with the mom the whole time and flew back to the US next day. This article is not any where near the truth.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that mom and baby made it back to the States. But it's a fact that military units on the scene told the local press they seized 400 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and 600 rounds of 7.62 mm cartridges, the latter of which is in fact used in the AK-47 (the article does not state that the weapon itself was found on board the vessel).
DeleteIf, as you say, Jacob's purpose with the ammo was only "to protect his family," what was he going to do with it - throw it at anyone who threatened them?
The ammo was for the single shot 7.62 rifle he had. These guns were legally registerd to him in the US. He should of had passports and I think he learned his lesson now on that also. Jacob is the type of guy that would give the shirt off his back to help someone if they needed it. People are so quick to judge these days. I guess it doesn't matter what they think. All that matters is what god judges in the end.
ReplyDeleteAlso he was working in Washington this winter to buy a sailboat to do this . The reason he left Miami is because that is where he purchased the sailboat from and had no truck to tow it around with so he sailed from there. He doesn't do drugs and would never ever think about carrying cocaine that is just insane. Unfortunatly where he ended up was one of the worst spots he could of ever landed.
ReplyDelete