A fourth crew member of the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq has been arrested after Police discovered large quantities of hashish were discovered on board the ship. The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports that at least 20 kg (44 lbs) of pressed hashish plates were discovered by Police which was investigating the ship. Following the discovery a fourth crew member was arrested.
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
A press release from Polar Seafood, which operates the trawler, confirms the drugs find, promising full cooperation with Icelandic authorities. (See below)
Two cases could be connected
Police arrested two crew members when the ship was boarded yesterday at noon, and a third crew member was arrested at nine in the evening. The three were arrested on suspicion of connection to the disappearance of 20 year old girl, Birna Brjánsdóttir, on Saturday morning. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the two cases could be linked: It is all connected.
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
Police revealed earlier today that they believe that a red Kia Rio, which had been rented by crew members of the Greenlandic trawler, had been the scene of a serious or violent crime. Circumstantial evidence points to Birna having entered the car on Laugavegur in downtown Reykjavík where she was last spotted. Surveillance tapes show the driver of the car behaving suspiciously on Saturday morning after Birna disappeared.
Missing girl has not yet been found
At noon today the district court of Reykjavík ruled that two of the three men arrested yesterday should remain in custody. The local news site Vísir reports that both deny any connection to the case. The third man has been released. Grímur Grímsson, the Chief Superintendent in charge of the investigation told Vísir that the man had been released after questioning. Vísir also reports that police does not suspect any of the other crew members to be connected to the disappearance of Birna.
The search for Birna continues tonight. The search has now been moved to lava fieds along roads on Reykjanes peninsula. Grímur Grímsson told Vísir that there was no indication that Birna had been taken on board the Greenlandic trawler.
Press release from Polar seafood:
The trawler Polar Nanoq returned to Hafnarfjordur harbor around 23:00 last night.
Three crew members have been arrested and put in to custody in relation to the ongoing police investigation of the disappearance of Birna Brjánsdóttir.
During the night the police searched the ship and spoke to other crew members, none of whom are suspects in the disappearance of Birna Brjánsdóttir.
The police also investigate the finding of a substantial amount of hash on board. The police have arrested one additional crew member in relation to finding of the narcotics. The ship will stay in Hafnarfjordur harbor while the police finish their investigations aboard.
Polar Seafood will continue to offer all possible assistance to the Icelandic authorities, and hopes that the cases will be elucidated as promptly as possible.
The company is also assisting in keeping relatives of crew members informed about what is happening. Crisis counselling for the crew has also been arranged. Assistance was sought from the Icelandic Red Cross.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
Monday:
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
Tuesday
Police relased CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cellphone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Satuday. the trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Wednesday:
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Thursday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
A fourth crew member of the Greenlandic trawler Polar Nanoq has been arrested after Police discovered large quantities of hashish were discovered on board the ship. The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV reports that at least 20 kg (44 lbs) of pressed hashish plates were discovered by Police which was investigating the ship. Following the discovery a fourth crew member was arrested.
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
A press release from Polar Seafood, which operates the trawler, confirms the drugs find, promising full cooperation with Icelandic authorities. (See below)
Two cases could be connected
Police arrested two crew members when the ship was boarded yesterday at noon, and a third crew member was arrested at nine in the evening. The three were arrested on suspicion of connection to the disappearance of 20 year old girl, Birna Brjánsdóttir, on Saturday morning. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the two cases could be linked: It is all connected.
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
Police revealed earlier today that they believe that a red Kia Rio, which had been rented by crew members of the Greenlandic trawler, had been the scene of a serious or violent crime. Circumstantial evidence points to Birna having entered the car on Laugavegur in downtown Reykjavík where she was last spotted. Surveillance tapes show the driver of the car behaving suspiciously on Saturday morning after Birna disappeared.
Missing girl has not yet been found
At noon today the district court of Reykjavík ruled that two of the three men arrested yesterday should remain in custody. The local news site Vísir reports that both deny any connection to the case. The third man has been released. Grímur Grímsson, the Chief Superintendent in charge of the investigation told Vísir that the man had been released after questioning. Vísir also reports that police does not suspect any of the other crew members to be connected to the disappearance of Birna.
The search for Birna continues tonight. The search has now been moved to lava fieds along roads on Reykjanes peninsula. Grímur Grímsson told Vísir that there was no indication that Birna had been taken on board the Greenlandic trawler.
Press release from Polar seafood:
The trawler Polar Nanoq returned to Hafnarfjordur harbor around 23:00 last night.
Three crew members have been arrested and put in to custody in relation to the ongoing police investigation of the disappearance of Birna Brjánsdóttir.
During the night the police searched the ship and spoke to other crew members, none of whom are suspects in the disappearance of Birna Brjánsdóttir.
The police also investigate the finding of a substantial amount of hash on board. The police have arrested one additional crew member in relation to finding of the narcotics. The ship will stay in Hafnarfjordur harbor while the police finish their investigations aboard.
Polar Seafood will continue to offer all possible assistance to the Icelandic authorities, and hopes that the cases will be elucidated as promptly as possible.
The company is also assisting in keeping relatives of crew members informed about what is happening. Crisis counselling for the crew has also been arranged. Assistance was sought from the Icelandic Red Cross.
Previous Iceland Insider coverage of the case:
Monday:
A large scale search had been underway since Saturday for 20 year old local woman. Police feared foul play.
Read more: Young local woman missing since Saturday: Have you seen her?
Tuesday
Police relased CCTV footage of Birna walking in downtown Reykjavík on Monday.
Read more: Search for missing young woman: Police releases footage from surveillance cameras
Shoes which match those worn by Birna were found early Tuesday morning in Hafnafjörður, south of Reykjavík. Police does not rule out the shoes were planted at the scene. All available Police and Search and Rescue members are searching in and around Hafnafjörður harbour.
Read more: Police does not rule out that pair of shoes believed to belong to missing woman were planted
Tuesday afternoon Police found what it believes is the red Kia Rio seen in security camera footage just seconds before she was last spotted on CCTV footage in down town Reykjavík. The car was likely driven by foreign nationals. The driver is seen behaving suspiciously shortly after Birna's cellphone is turned off at 5:50 AM.
Read more: Missing woman: Car seen in surveillance tapes likely found, driver seen behaving strangely
The car was linked to crew members of Greenlandic trawler which had been docked in Hafnarfjörður from Wednesday to Satuday. the trawler had sailed out and was fishing off the east coast of Greenland.
Wednesday:
Security camera footage from Hafnarfjörður harbour shows crew members exiting the red Kia Rio, behaving suspiciously. The trawler was returned to harbour in Reykjavík.
Read more: Missing girl: Disturbing clues, no arrests, but Greenlandic trawler returned to harbour in Iceland
The case has gripped the Icelandic nation. Police warns people to avoid of hysteria.
Read more: Airing of British TV series The Missing postponed while search continues for missing girl
Police officers and members of the Police Special Forces were flown out to the Danish Coast Guard vessel HDMS Triton which was on intercept course with the Polar Nanoq.
Read more: Missing girl: Members of the Police Special Forces on their way to Greenlandic trawler
Police arrested two men on board the trawler.
Read more: Two arrested on-board Greenlandic trawler in connection to missing girl
Thursday
Read more: Video: Third sailor on Greenlandic trawler arrested and taken for questioning over missing girl
Read more: Missing girl: Evidence from car rented by crew members of Greenlandic trawler points to a crime
