Men in major cocaine bust to seek bail next month
Published:Wednesday | October 16, 2024 | 12:10 AM
Five men, including a 72-year-old, implicated in the almost $12-billion cocaine bust in Havendale, St Andrew in August, are expected to apply for bail when their case is mentioned on November 11 in the Home Circuit Court.
The defendants, Kingston residents Clive Davis, 57; Junior Haldane, 72; George Sterling; Collin Ricketts, 58, and 42 year-old Clayton Peart, are each charged with possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, trafficking cocaine and conspiracy.
The matter, which was before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, was on Friday transferred to the High Court via a voluntary bill of indictment.
When the matter was mentioned, the court was informed that the report pertaining to the testing of the substance was still outstanding and that the report should be available in time for the new mention date. The court was also put on notice that the defence lawyers would be making bail applications if the document were ready.
The defendants were arrested on August 6 when officers from the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division, accompanied by units from the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch, raided the premises and seized several knitted bags of cocaine.
Approximately 2,600 kilograms or 5,569 pounds of cocaine, with a street value of US$75.79 million, were allegedly found at the house during a three-hour operation.
The clerk of court, in outlining the allegation, said the police went to the location after receiving information that the men were reportedly in the process of loading a bus with the bags of cocaine.
He said three of the men were seen at the back of the bus and that one of them was found hiding behind the premises while another was hiding in a room.
Haldane and Sterling were seen reportedly behind the bus and were accosted after they ran. Davis, who was initially seen behind the bus, was also held in front of the bus, the court heard.
Attorney-at-law Donahue Martin is representing Ricketts while Lloyd McFarlane is representing Haldane and Ludlow Black is representing Sterling.
Attorneys-at-law Kayon Atkinson and Tamika Dunbar are appearing for Peart while King’s Counsel Tom Tavares-Finson is defending Davis.