Death exposes tourism stalwart’s fugitive past

Death exposes tourism stalwart’s fugitive past

In a bizarre twist worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster, it has been revealed a Qld tour operator was actually a dope smuggling infamous American fugitive who had previously faked his own death.

Crocodile cruise operator, Dennis “Lee” Lafferty had been running Daintree River Cruise Centre, ferrying tourists from Cairns to Cape Tribulation for the past 28 years, but in a previous life, literally, he had been indicted in a US court for smuggling 12 tonne of marijuana before ‘disappearing’ more than 40 years ago.

Dennis "Lee" Lafferty

Lee, 78, died for the second time last month in a car crash and had been well-known as a conservationist in the Port Douglas tourism sector, with its local mayor calling him a “pioneer” in the Daintree tourism industry, News.com.au reports.

Three days after his death a US journalist for the Tampa Bay Times broke the news about his true identity to his ex-wife based in America, the paper reports.

The journalist revealed Lafferty’s real name was Raymond Grady Stansel and in 1974, Stansel was arrested with US$25,000 in cash, receipts for two US$25,000 Rolex watches, signed blank tourist visas and unused cheques linked to a Swiss bank account along with an indictment for drug smuggling.

After posting bail he then “disappeared” during a scuba accident near Honduras, the Times reported.

According to various reports, nobody in Australia knew of his double life until his death last month.

Image: ABC News / news.com.au

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