CCGS Parizeau CCGS " Parizeau " was a Canadian Coast Guard Ship that served as an Offshore Research and Survey Vessel from 1966 to 2001 . Construction . Named for Canadian Hydrographic Service hydrographer Henri Dalpe Parizeau , she was built at Burrard Dry Dock , North Vancouver in 1966 and was commissioned as CSS " Parizeau " ( Canadian Survey Ship " Parizeau " ) with what would become the Department of Fisheries and Oceans . Two science vessels were built using the same hull design . " Parizeau " is the older of the two sister ships , although it had the longer commissioned government service . The " CSS Dawson " , named for William Bell Dawson , was built at Davies Shipyard , Quebec , commissioned in 1967 and attached to the Bedford Institute of Oceanography , Dartmouth , Nova Scotia . Subsequent refits saw " Parizeau ' s " crowsnest eventually removed and replaced with a radar and communication platform . In addition , the aft section of the boat deck was extended to allow the Officer ' s Dining Mess to be converted into additional accommodations . Service . " Parizeau " served with DFO ' s Pacific Region from 1966 until 1992 at the Institute of Ocean Sciences , Sidney , BC when she was transferred to DFO ' s Maritime Region where she was attached to the Bedford Institute of Oceanography , Dartmouth . " Parizeau " served in the DFO ' s Maritime Region as a replacement vessel for her soon to be decommissioned sister CSS " Dawson " . Following the transfer of the Canadian Coast Guard to DFO in 1995 and the merger of the DFO science and enforcement vessels into CCG , the " Parizeau " s prefix was changed from CSS to CCGS ( Canadian Coast Guard Ship ) , the superstructure colour scheme was changed from science vessel white , with a buff coloured funnel to the Canadian Coast Guard red hull and white superstructure colour scheme . " Parizeau " crew members became employees of the Canadian Coast Guard , a Special Operating Agency of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada . " Parizeau " ceased government science programs in June , 2000 . Decommissioning and sale . " Parizeau " was decommissioned in 2001 and renamed " 2001 - 04 " upon transfer to Crown Assets for disposal . She was sold to private interests in January 2005 and renamed " Destiny Empress " . Her ownership as of 2009 is shown as Empress Investment Group Ltd . , c / o Marler Law Firm , Oakville , Ontario , Canada . December 2009 seizure . " Destiny Empress " was believed to be docked in Trinidad and Tobago for some time for repairs prior to departing for Europe . On December 22 , 2009 , a joint European law enforcement team , including Spanish Police and Italy ' s Air Maritime Exploration Squadron Guardia di Finanza ( a special flight Squadron of the Italy ' GDF Air Service ) , acting on intelligence from the London Metropolitan Police , seized the ship and arrested the seven person crew west of Spain ' s northwest coast . After several days of searching , officers found a secret compartment under a trap door that had been bolted down with an aluminum plate and covered by carpet in one of the " Destiny Empress " s rooms . The sealed compartment contained of cocaine with an estimated street value of £375 million , according to UK police . The crew included : - Philip Halliday , a Canadian fisherman and seaman from Digby , Nova Scotia - Reginald Stuart II , an American dive instructor and aspiring seaman from Silver Spring , Maryland Both men claim they are innocent of any wrongdoing and assert they were contracted deck hands hired to transport the vessel to European buyers . Also among the crew were : - Four Romanian Nationals - Kevin Fletcher , the British Captain The " Destiny Empress " initially became a target for surveillance after a diligent UK police detective , executing a raid on a suspected drug house in connection with a narcotics and money laundering investigation in London , noticed a receipt for over £100 , 000 in ship repairs paid to Irving Shipbuilding , owner of Shelburne Ship Repair Ltd . , a shipyard in Shelburne , Nova Scotia . Additional payments were subsequently identified and determined to be for the refurbishment of an ex - Canadian Coast Guard ship now named the " Destiny Empress " . A joint task force including UK , Dutch and Spanish authorities initiated an extensive investigation which resulted in the arrest of 15 persons ( separately , and in addition to the " Destiny Empress " crew ) , seizing additional drugs , weapons and currency . On August 4 , 2011 , the UK portion of the investigation was concluded , with 13 of the persons arrested pleading guilty and one convicted of various charges ranging from money laundering , drug offenses and weapons charges . In aggregate , the 14 persons received 79 years . One person was acquitted . As of April 2012 , the " Destiny Empress " crew remains in Spanish prison awaiting trial . As noted in court proceedings on November 28 , 2011 , the " Destiny Empress " was sold by Spanish authorities in an auction to an undisclosed buyer . November 2012 Legal Proceedings in Spain . The trial of the crew and four other individuals associated with the vessel began in Spain on November 20 , 2012 . There was a delay in the proceedings because the police witness from Scotland Yard failed to testify . The final arguments by the prosecution and defense were made on December 3 , 2012 . On December 4 , three members of the crew were released : Mehai Alexandru Grau , Stephanescu Vichenta and Reginald Stuart II . They were not permitted to leave Spain until the conclusion of proceedings . Final Sentence . The court ' s final decision was handed down February 13 , 2013 . Mehai Alexandru Grau , Stephanescu Vichenta and Reginald Stuart II were found innocent , but are not able to seek compensation for time served because of legal nuance . The other three crew members , including Phillip Halliday of Canada were released on charges limited to the time they served . The captain and the ringleaders received 9 – 12 years . The fate of the vessel remains unknown .