Chapter 26
489 Words
Chapter 26“Khalid, look at me,” Talya demanded. He did. “When I heard what John had to say, I realized that we’re looking at this all wrong.”
“But we saw the container with the Nassau tag...”
“Let me continue, will you?” Talya threw him an impatient glance.
“Okay, go on.”
“Yes, we saw a container with a Nassau tag. Yes, the drugs were presumably packed into that container, and yes, we know the drugs were shipped from Miami, because we know – at least we can fairly assume – the head of the cartel is here, but we made another assumption, which has never been confirmed. We also assumed that the nitro had been ordered from the US.”
“And how is that wrong?”
“That’s wrong because there are much easier ways to obtain nitro than ordering it from the US. In fact, Hjamal ordered most of the equipment he needed for the construction of the Sabodala plant from the States, because that’s where the machinery was manufactured, but when it came to other items, like hoses, pond lining, etc., and even consumable items for his mining camp, he ordered everything from France or from a neighboring country – not from the US.”
“Are you telling me the nitro was ordered from France?”
“Maybe..., but I should think that we need to confirm where the drugs landed. I would bet that you’ll find the nitro rejoined the drugs in Nouakchott...”
“Of course! Osnoir’s headquarters were initially in Nouakchott and that’s even where Richard Gillman was picked up...”
“Exactly. And none of these guys could risk detection by sending their drug shipment together with any nitro all the way from the States. So, I think they ordered the nitro from somewhere in Europe or from North Africa, and once the N.G.O container arrived in Nouakchott, they re-packaged it with the nitro along with the drugs. Osnoir didn’t have to worry about being under scrutiny in Mauritania, since he probably had half of the custom officers in his back pocket already.”
Khalid said, “What about the Isle of Los? Where does it come in? Because that’s where we picked up Savoi...”
Talya shook her head. “Before the Sabodala drug operation started, that’s where the mules began their travels either through Guinea or through Senegal – Savoi told us that much when he was arrested. It’s only when Rasheed installed his commanding post in Sabodala that the drugs began to be distributed from that point.”
“All right then, we’re only looking for drugs being shipped from Nassau?”
“Yes. I think you’ve got it. And if your assumptions about the fishing boats are correct, we can come up with a picture. Let me see...” Talya took a piece of paper and went on to explain. “They arrive in Nassau by train; they’re then transported onto a fishing boat, which makes its way to Miami where the shipment is loaded onto a container...” She looked up from the note pad.
“That’s it! That’s exactly what I would have concluded, given time...” Khalid was looking at the sketch of the drug-shipping route. He kissed her on the cheek.
If Talya was going to Nassau and start poking her nose into the fishing boats’ movements, it was time for me to make a move.
- Writer
