John Nikolic’s wife Yvette faces Fiji drug charge after luxury boat raid ends romantic ‘adventure’
PHOTOS reveal what “newbie” sailors’ sun-drenched lifestyle was like before it ended dramatically in a police raid, with millions in cocaine and ecstasy discovered on disgraced horse trainer John Nikolic and his partner’s luxury yacht.
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PHOTOS reveal what life was like for horse trainer John Nikolic and his wife sailing from South America to Australia on a luxury yacht, Shenanigans, before a raid by Fiji police in search of drugs and guns ended their romantic “adventure of a lifetime”.
The disgraced trainer and his partner, Yvette, had painted a picture of a dream sailing holiday over the past few months, posting adventure stories online alongside happy snaps of them fishing and lounging, sun-kissed, at sea.
But last night, Ms Nikolic was in a Fiji jail, charged with importing millions of dollars worth of cocaine and guns, while her husband was in hospital fighting for his life.
The pair’s sun-drenched new lifestyle was detailed in a Facebook blog ‘SV Shenanigans’ they started before setting sail, soon adding to it with countless sunset snaps.
The homely living area is captured in before and after pictures with plush cushions, rolled up maps and a well-stocked fruit bowl.
The couple’s bedroom boasts a navy-blue handmade quilt with bright colour patches sewn on.
They outlined plans for a White Chistmas in New York, and New Year’s Eve with friends in Florida, and spoke of boat repairs and catching mackerel by hand.
“Key West is a gorgeous little party town with live music everywhere and beautiful sunsets,” they wrote.
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The pair used a satelite phone tracker to show their route from Columbia to Panama (see map below), making their way through the Panama Canal.
Around this time they spent “10 days cruising the gorgeous, remote Las Perlas Islands”.
“We caught heaps of fish, bought 4 large lobsters for $30 and traded with the local islanders. We saw a whale shark, whales, dolphins and sting rays along the way. Now this is what we had in mind when we bought a boat! Island life,” the blog reads.
Local media reported that Nikolic, 45, was rushed to hospital after drinking an unknown substance in what is believed to have been an attempt at self-harm as police raided the boat.
In court yesterday, the distressed wife pleaded with the magistrate for permission to see the critically ill Nikolic at Lautoka hospital.
According to the Fiji Sun, the Nadi Magistrates’ Court heard she had failed to declare firearms and ammunition to a customs officer on arrival at Denarau Marina.
Police said they seized $20 million of cocaine and ecstasy aboard Shenanigans, which had sailed from Bora Bora, in French Polynesia.
Fijian Customs took the Nikolics into custody last Thursday, after seizing what they said were guns, 13kg of cocaine, and ecstasy tablets.
Nikolic, brother of jockey Danny Nikolic, was being detained on the yacht when he drank an unknown liquid that made him ill. Ms Nikolic was charged with possessing and importing drugs and guns.
A Frenchman and an American were also arrested.
Ms Nikolic’s lawyer told the court his client had been sleeping at the border police office, and needed to see her husband.
The Nikolics, who bought the yacht last year, called themselves “newbie” sailors with a “crazy plan” to sail from the US to Queensland, a voyage they said they had been preparing for about 18 months.
“Brave and free and wild is the sea,” they posted before setting sail.
It’s not the first time the pair have been the focus of police attention.
In 2014, their home was raided by Victoria Police, and they were questioned by detectives investigating the murder of trainer Les Samba, 60, who was shot at point-blank range in Beaconsfield Pde, Middle Park, in February 2013.
Mr Samba was the father of Victoria Samba, who had been married to Danny Nikolic, and detectives had travelled to Sydney and the Gold Coast to interview racing identities.
But from the couple’s recent travel logs, it looked as if they had put any distressing past behind them.
“John and Yvette have been madly in love for 25 years,” the SV Shenanigans’ Facebook page reads.
“The love of sailing, however, is a new passion for both of them. This crazy plan has been in the works for about 1½ years. We are newbie sailors and this is our 1st boat.
“Steep learning curve you say? Damn straight!”
Maps of their journey show that after buying the boat, they travelled from Colombia in South America to Panama before setting sail across the Pacific.
They visited a number of islands in French Polynesia, including circling Bora Bora, before heading towards Fiji earlier this month.
They picked up new crew during the months-long voyage, advertising a number of times for experienced sailors: “nonsmokers a must and it will be a dry boat”.
The court heard that a formal application for the release of the yacht and other matters would need to go before a higher court, according to the Fiji Sun.
Ms Nikolic was remanded to appear at Lautoka High Court on July 4.
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