Crime Correspondent

James Douglas Willson retired Des Plaines pilot convicted of international drug trafficking in Morocco

Imprisoned since early May,James Douglas Willson was convicted after a Cessna 337 he reportedly was flying was seized by Moroccan police on a rural road, according to a statement from the Moroccan news agency.retired Des Plaines pilot convicted of international drug trafficking in Morocco isn't getting adequate medical care and may not survive his 7-year prison sentence, a family member says. James Douglas Willson, 67, suffers from diabetes and kidney failure and has lost 35 pounds, said his daughter, Marilyn Brief."My dad's body is shutting down," Brief said. "He's dying."Willson piloted the twin-engine plane and landed it in Morocco to load drugs, according to the statement, which said two Moroccans also received prison sentences. Brief and Mouafik Anis, Willson's Moroccan attorney, said that Willson was a passenger on the plane, which took off in Spain but was forced to make an emergency landing in Morocco.A friend of Willson's recently delivered the plane to Spain and asked him to take a training flight with the pilot to make sure he could use the equipment, Brief said.After the emergency landing, Willson was arrested, although no drugs were found on him or in the plane, Anis said during a telephone interview from Morocco."How can we charge someone with trafficking drugs when we did not find any drugs?" Anis said. "You must find drugs."Willson was sentenced June 16. The case is in the appeals process, Anis said.Willson is at a disadvantage in the Moroccan court system, according to Anis, who said he isn't always given advance notice of court dates. It is up to him, he said, to provide translations for his client.The U.S. Embassy in Morocco referred all questions to U.S. State Department officials in Washington, D.C.Steve Royster, a State Department spokesman, said he could not say whether the embassy was involved in ensuring a translator was present at Willson's court proceedings. But he said at least one hearing was postponed because a translator was not available.Royster said the consular office in Morocco made sure Willson's U.S. health records were sent to the prison doctor."Whenever an American is detained overseas, we have a role to make sure he's getting access to the legal system and conditions that are humane," he said.Representatives have visited Willson twice and spoken to him on the phone several times.The consular staff also speaks to Willson's attorney almost daily and the prison doctor regularly, he said. The consular staff reported that Willson is about to be transferred to a larger prison with a better medical facility. Embassy officials also worked with Willson's attorney to make sure the family could visit him in prison in June. "We're continuing to monitor the case," Royster said. U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said he has talked with Brief and helped her get in touch with government officials to assist her father. "I just can't imagine what [she] is going through," he said. Willson is housed in a facility without a roof or air conditioning, Brief said. During his career, Willson flew planes for Ryan's Aviation and Atlas Air cargo carrier out of O'Hare International Airport, she said. The Chicago native also worked as a pilot for Midway Airlines, a commercial airline that was based at Midway Airport. My dad has only been an upright citizen—an ordinary, working man," Brief said. "It's like they think my father is disposable, and he's not!"

James Douglas Willson retired Des Plaines pilot convicted of international drug trafficking in Morocco

Imprisoned since early May,James Douglas Willson was convicted after a Cessna 337 he reportedly was flying was seized by Moroccan police on ...

Stanton Clay, from North Shields, was arrested coming through the Tyne Tunnel in May last year carrying two kilos of cocaine

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9NIMqFK9Uo7tzl1TV5ONmEbCvXwg9ShfGcY5CL03z7EEd3ZBGpBssBXL9DkpUGWINPH60blaCmWycE1r36t8x75U5HNrJz87QSkOIKlVI6vbwyg0r5QLMgvzeLpzYUJMwdTRPbyETLo/s1600-h/north.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225243015796758818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9NIMqFK9Uo7tzl1TV5ONmEbCvXwg9ShfGcY5CL03z7EEd3ZBGpBssBXL9DkpUGWINPH60blaCmWycE1r36t8x75U5HNrJz87QSkOIKlVI6vbwyg0r5QLMgvzeLpzYUJMwdTRPbyETLo/s400/north.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a>Northumbria Police set out to infiltrate and dismantle a major cocaine syndicate which had connections from Tyneside to Merseyside.This £100,000 haul of high-grade cocaine was seized as part of their racket before it was distributed on the region’s streets.Five members of the gang were sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court following Operation Skopie – a probe into drug dealing and money laundering. The investigation was launched after Stanton Clay, from North Shields, was arrested coming through the Tyne Tunnel in May last year carrying two kilos of cocaine worth between £80,000 and £100,000.Clay was subsequently convicted of conspiring to supply class A drugs and jailed for four years on April 11.Police officers uncovered evidence which linked Clay to criminals involved in trafficking class A drugs from Merseyside to North Tyneside. Gang leader Anthony Goicoechea was using his sandwich bar, Cafe 34, as a cover. During raids at Rennington Close, Cullercoats, and a nearby rented garage, officers recovered 1.3 kilos of cocaine worth more than £75,000. They also discovered scales, self-sealing bags, a debtors list and mobile phones.Detective Chief Inspector Tim Walker, of the force’s Crime Operations section of the Crime Department, said: “These individuals represented organised crime. They were involved in the distribution of hard drugs throughout the North Tyneside area. The sentencing today sends out a very clear message that people who harm our communities will be pursued by the police and dealt with by the courts.”The gang’s crime base for manufacturing the narcotics was smashed, including a cocaine-press, which was uncovered in a house. Now the men from North Tyneside, and one from Liverpool, have been jailed after admitting their parts in the supply or money laundering from the profits of drugs. Operation Skopie led to raids in December. Links were also made to an address in Bootle, Liverpool, where officers found the cocaine press as part of a sophisticated set-up to process the illicit haul.The men had been charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and were due to go to trial, but all pleaded guilty to other drugs-related charges at Newcastle Crown Court. Howard Harrison, 26, of Ayres Terrace, North Shields, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs at an earlier hearing. He was locked up for three and a half years. Steven Taylor, 25, of Rennington Close, Cullercoats, also pleaded guilty to supplying earlier on in the court process. He was sentenced to four and a half years. Stephen Smith, 20, of Sunley Avenue, Cullercoats, admitted two counts of supplying cocaine. He was given a 12-month jail term suspended for two years, plus 100 hours of unpaid work. Anthony Giocoechea, 27, of Newington Drive, North Shields, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years after he admitted money laundering and his brother, Darren Giocoechea, 22, of Knotts Flats, Tynemouth, admitted five counts of supplying and money laundering and was jailed for two years. Robert Speakman, 40, of Liverpool, pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to supplying 2kg of cocaine after being caught on May 22 last year. He was given 300 hours of community service and a three-year supervision order. Stanton Clay, in his 50s, from North Shields, was also arrested on that date in possession of 2kg of cocaine with intent to supply, and was given four years’ imprisonment.A total of nine suspects were initially arrested and taken in for questioning. Northumbria Police last month revealed a tough purge on drugs criminals during one week in May led to 93 arrests and more than £200,000 of drugs recovered. During a range of strikes for National Tackling Drugs Week, the force seized 1,062 cannabis plants, confiscated 14 weapons and shut down 10 cannabis farms.

Stanton Clay, from North Shields, was arrested coming through the Tyne Tunnel in May last year carrying two kilos of cocaine

Northumbria Police set out to infiltrate and dismantle a major cocaine syndicate which had connections from Tyneside to Merseyside.This £100...

Franller Villanueva was shot three times after running from troopers and pointing a gun at one

Franller Villanueva, 20, of Jefferson Ave., was shot three times after running from troopers and pointing a gun at one, State Police Lt. James Barnes said. Villanueva, who underwent surgery this morning at Wilson Regional Medical Center in Johnson City, remained in critical condition this afternoon, Barnes said.He gave this account of the incident:The incident began about 2:25 a.m. today when someone reported that there was a man with a gun outside a Washington Avenue tavern. When troopers Michael Woytach and Keith E. Blanchfield arrived to assist Endicott police, a bystander said the man with the gun was Villanueva, and pointed to a man who was leaving the area on a bicycle.Woytach gave chase in his Chevrolet Tahoe and Blanchfield pursued on foot as Villanueva rode to Jefferson Avenue. Near 10 Jefferson Ave., the Tahoe and the bicycle collided, and Villanueva ran down the driveway. When Woytach left the Tahoe and gave chase, Villanueva made a threatening move with a semi-automatic handgun. Woytach fired six shots, striking Villanueva three times.Villanueva did not fire. Neither trooper was hurt. Troopers later determined that Villanueva was wanted on an Ulster County Court warrant charging him with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, crack cocaine. The charge is a felony.The investigation continues, state police said.

Franller Villanueva was shot three times after running from troopers and pointing a gun at one

Franller Villanueva, 20, of Jefferson Ave., was shot three times after running from troopers and pointing a gun at one, State Police Lt. Jam...

Edgar "el Chamaco" Santana was arrested by Drug Enforcement Agents for allegedly helping broker cocaine shipments from Central America through Puerto

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6rqjwhz82zhxuoJGjdPtNnRE8dd3Esl5uTBY_yj8QypcT4C96FlMEmhMiSygrgDm5zMtCyz3M04zfgySyPYI7_MHu-gie6OjcmCyYcMIboxHq-ElIPJpdYo0rWyS_-fLWAqRxsZ1INE/s1600-h/16923045_240X180.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225238718742346498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6rqjwhz82zhxuoJGjdPtNnRE8dd3Esl5uTBY_yj8QypcT4C96FlMEmhMiSygrgDm5zMtCyz3M04zfgySyPYI7_MHu-gie6OjcmCyYcMIboxHq-ElIPJpdYo0rWyS_-fLWAqRxsZ1INE/s400/16923045_240X180.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> Edgar "el Chamaco" Santana was arrested by Drug Enforcement Agents for allegedly helping broker cocaine shipments from Central America through Puerto Rico to New York.Santana is a welterweight with a 24-3 record and 15 knockouts. His fights have been seen on HBO and other sports channels and he trained at Gleason's gym, according to his online biography. As Santana was led away by authorities Friday, the boxer just shook his head when asked what this arrest might mean for his career. He was wearing a t-shirt that read, "The pressure of survival in the big city will make you lose sight of your dream .. Hang in there."Santana's next fight was scheduled for August 6 and was planned to be televised on ESPN.Santana is one of 12 suspects charged in the case. Investigators said hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and drugs were seized in the year-long investigation. DEA agents said the cocaine was shipped in packages sent via the U.S. mail. The investigation, dubbed "Operation Special Delivery," revealed that after being shipped to New York, the drugs were the sold on the streets of the Bronx, Queens and Harlem, agents said.The alleged ringleader, Angel Colon, was also arrested. The suspects are expected to be arraigned late Friday.

Edgar "el Chamaco" Santana was arrested by Drug Enforcement Agents for allegedly helping broker cocaine shipments from Central America through Puerto

Edgar "el Chamaco" Santana was arrested by Drug Enforcement Agents for allegedly helping broker cocaine shipments from Central Ame...

Iver Lopez was arrested on two drug charges and a motor vehicle violation.

Iver Lopez, 54, of Pembroke Pines, Fla., was arrested on two drug charges and a motor vehicle violation. He will be arraigned Wednesday, pro...

Ricardo Plaza and Francisco Mejias, were arrested on federal warrants for selling more than 100 grams of heroin

10-month investigation into illegal gang activity in Lowell culminated in 10 arrests Friday, as well as the seizure of several bags of marijuana and nearly $70,000 in cash, according to the Boston Globe. The raid also netted more than a dozen firearms, including semiautomatic handguns, a MAC-11 machine pistol, and a rifle with a bayonet attached, police say. City, state and federal police officers took part in the investigation, which targeted the Tiny Rascal Gang, a group from California whose members are largely of Southeast Asian descent. Police Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee said the gang now has roughly 100 members in the Lowell area, following an increase in the city’s Cambodian population. "We're talking a violent criminal enterprise that was very significant in the city of Lowell," Lavallee said. "We've made a major move here.” The Tiny Rascals have allegedly been involved in a series of violent crimes over the last 10 years, including 5 homicides and over 20 assaults. Mayor Edward C. Caulfield was shocked at the extent of the gang's firepower, which allegedly also included a range of rare knives. "Believe me, I've never seen anything like these things in my life," Caulfield said. "It's almost like a James Bond movie."Among the alleged gang members arrested yesterday, four were charged in federal indictments, police Lieutenant William Busby said. Shane Carney, 32, was charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition. Eden Hok, 22, was charged with dealing guns without a license. Vila Malakham, 24, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Saravy Sok, 19, was charged with possessing an unregistered firearm.Four people were arrested on state indictments, Busby said. Savong Moun, 22, was charged with three counts of distributing the drug ecstasy. Eric O'Brien, 23, was charged with three counts of distributing benzylpiperazine and three counts of distributing a counterfeit drug. Jonathan Sheehan, 27, and Sophandara Sok, 18, were charged with possession of gun ammunition without proper identification, selling a gun and ammunition without a license, and unlawful possession without a license.Two other men, Ricardo Plaza and Francisco Mejias, were arrested on federal warrants for selling more than 100 grams of heroin, Busby said. Lowell police, State Police, US Attorney Michael Sullivan's office, the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI contributed to the investigation, officials said.Additional charges will likely be filed against the defendants, according to Busby. He described the initial arrests as an effort to get the suspects behind bars while more information is uncovered

Ricardo Plaza and Francisco Mejias, were arrested on federal warrants for selling more than 100 grams of heroin

10-month investigation into illegal gang activity in Lowell culminated in 10 arrests Friday, as well as the seizure of several bags of marij...

Peter Lloyd faces 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of a cane if convicted on serious drug charges.

ABC's director of news will travel to Singapore this week in the hope of speaking with the broadcaster's South Asia correspondent, Peter Lloyd, who faces 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of a cane if convicted on serious drug charges. News boss John Cameron will be the second senior ABC executive to fly to Singapore - the head of ABC's legal services, Rob Simpson, arrived on Friday - following Lloyd's arrest on Thursday. The journalist has been charged with trafficking about one gram of methamphetamine to a Singaporean for $S100 ($75) at a hotel early this month and for allegedly being in possession of about one gram of the stimulant methamphetamine, also known as ice. The ABC was unwilling to comment on Lloyd's predicament yesterday, but in a statement said that Mr Simpson was yet to meet directly with Lloyd. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is also due to arrive in Singapore late tonight for previously arranged ASEAN discussions. However, the minister's office said he was likely to engage the Singapore Government in discussions about Lloyd's case only if there were any limitations placed on normal consular access to Lloyd. Currently, the Australian high commissioner in Singapore is providing assistance facilitated by Singapore authorities. Consular officials attended last week's private court hearing in the prison ward of Changi General Hospital where Lloyd, 41, was charged.He was being treated for an eye infection he contracted while on leave from his New Delhi posting. He was set to return to Australia next month to host a new breakfast program on ABC2. A bail of $S60,000, with the surety of a Singapore national, has been placed upon Lloyd. It is not known whether he will meet those bail conditions. Lloyd's next court hearing is scheduled for Friday.

Peter Lloyd faces 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of a cane if convicted on serious drug charges.

ABC's director of news will travel to Singapore this week in the hope of speaking with the broadcaster's South Asia correspondent, P...

Aftab Ahmed,Nadheem Moghul were arrested last Monday as they travelled via Colombo into Maldives, with heroin in their stomachs

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZQ5gtLWNIuZpCorFroCE-BUM3Fi4sIgegLUDnZBLgZIw4tpJTWLUh8sL-otoaBp0Qm9l1W5s7RS6ToPAttAj-TNsUL_fp-tKjRD6daEhAFXDfca3fMEjKPytadqTTvNgg5sei8ULLcM/s1600-h/122bulletsuspectsbig.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224959688306182386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZQ5gtLWNIuZpCorFroCE-BUM3Fi4sIgegLUDnZBLgZIw4tpJTWLUh8sL-otoaBp0Qm9l1W5s7RS6ToPAttAj-TNsUL_fp-tKjRD6daEhAFXDfca3fMEjKPytadqTTvNgg5sei8ULLcM/s400/122bulletsuspectsbig.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> Two Pakistanis were caught on July 14 with 122 “bullets” of heroin in their stomachs, attempting to smuggle the drugs into the Maldives, police have said. Two Maldivians have also been arrested over the case.The four were arrested in a joint operation between customs and police, said Mohamed JInah, head of the police Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), at a Thursday press briefing. Aftab Ahmed, 49 and Nadheem Moghul, 41, were arrested last Monday as they travelled via Colombo into Maldives, with heroin in their stomachs weighing a total of 865.094 grams, according to Jinah. The two Maldivians arrested are Visham Shafeeq, 23, and Ahmed Nabeel, 22. Jinah described Visham as “deeply involved” in the drugs trade, and said Nabeel is Visham’s “partner”. “We noticed the two tried to find the drugs in order to sell them on two occasions during the operation we conducted,” he said. Visham is “reported to play a big role in bringing in the most dangerous type of heroin, or pure heroin.”According to Jinah, the Internal Intelligence Department’s information showed Visham had smuggled in drugs through a Pakistani and people of other nationalities. The DEU continues to receive information on the drugs trade and those involved in it via the International Intelligence department, says Jinah. The Maldives has seen a rise in arrests relating to drugs in recent months, particularly relating to trafficking via air routes.In April four Pakistani citizens and one Tanzanian were arrested at Malé International Airport as they attempted to smuggle 189 bullets of drugs via the Maldives to Tanzania. In March, two Sri Lankans were arrested with heroin worth over US $1 million in hidden compartments in their luggage as they entered the Maldives, again at Malé International Airport. The drugs they carried were also said to have originated in Pakistan. Meanwhile five men have now been sentenced to life over a November 2.18 kilo drugs haul. One of the men in the case, Azmath Khan, is a Pakistani citizen. The high-profile case includes allegations of an international drugs ring with links in Pakistan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. The government’s National Narcotics Control Bureau (NNCB) says about 10,000 to 12,000 of the country’s youth are drug addicts, and according to the government, more than 80 per cent of inmates are in prison over drug-related crimes. Government has repeatedly faced accusations of failing to control the country's drugs trade, but launched its first Drug Control Masterplan in May.

Aftab Ahmed,Nadheem Moghul were arrested last Monday as they travelled via Colombo into Maldives, with heroin in their stomachs

Two Pakistanis were caught on July 14 with 122 “bullets” of heroin in their stomachs, attempting to smuggle the drugs into the Maldives, pol...

Dennis Pamplin arrested Brian Henry assisted Dennis Pamplin in packaging more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana

A year-long police investigation is said to have uncovered evidence that five shipments of marijuana were sent from New Jersey to Bermuda during the past 12months. Those details are contained in a press statement on the US Drug Enforcement Agency website, which went on to add that the arrests were made on Tuesday after a police dog sniffed out 700lbs of marijuana hidden inside concrete pillars at a warehouse in Orange, New Jersey.Two men – one of them the husband of a Bermuda MP – have been arrested in the US accused of sending cannabis worth $15 million to Bermuda. One of the arrested men is Dennis Pamplin, who is the husband of UBP MP Patricia Gordon-Pamplin. The other man is Brian Henry.Last night, Shadow Minister of Works and Engineering Mrs Gordon-Pamplin, expressed shock at the news."I don't know enough. I need to digest what's going on. I am not really in a position to comment. If their (police) suggestion is true, I am shocked and that's all Ican say,"she said. According to Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) New Jersey they, along with members of the Orange Police Department, seized the 700 pounds of marijuana and subsequently arrested Mr. Pamplin and Mr. Henry. The US agency's press release said the investigation began in July 2007 and involved the Bermuda Police Service."During this time period, Brian Henry assisted Dennis Pamplin in packaging more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana for approximately five different shipments that were transported overseas from the Port of Newark in New Jersey to Bermuda."Andrew Boyce, Chief Inspector and the spokesman for the Bermuda Police Service estimated that the marijuana would be worth more than $15 million on the streets of Bermuda. He said: "This operation is a clear indication of the long and productive relationship between the DEA and the Bermuda Police Service. "The quantity of drugs seized is very significant from the Bermuda perspective, as a weight could be sold on the streets of Bermuda for more than $15 million. "We will provide whatever support and assistance that is required by the DEA to make this case a success." According to the DEA, on Tuesday a canine trained in the detection of narcotics alerted an area near six concrete pillars that later revealed to have a metal cylinder about five feet high by one foot wide inside.Inside each of those was an individually wrapped, vacuum-sealed discs which contained the suspected marijuana. Also seized from within the warehouse were scales, hydraulic pressing machines, vacuum-sealing materials, and disc shaped steel moulds.This is not the first time Pamplin, who is American, has been in trouble with the US authorities. Last year he was arrested in Chatham, New Jersey on August 28 along with two other men when more than $100,000 was found on them.According to reports in the Morristown Daily Record, Police had responded to reports of erratic driving and upon searching Pamplin's SUV found envelopes filled with $47,000 in cash. The other two men were in a second car where the additional money was discovered by Police.Pamplin's lawyer Paul Bergrin had said the $47,000 seized from his client was legitimate cash he intended to use to buy music recording equipment. In his most recent run-in with the law, both Pamplin and Henry were charged in the Southern District of New York with conspiracy to unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 1,000 kilos and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana. Henry was remanded into custody of the USMarshals Service with no bail and Pamplin was remanded into custody of the USMarshals Service in lieu of a $3 million personal recognisance bond. Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, New Jersey Division, Gerard P. McAleer added: "This paradise island nation has not been immune to the ill effects of drug trafficking and the arrest of these men will have a profound affect on the availability of drugs in Bermuda. "The Bermuda Police Service has always worked diligently with the DEA to thwart drug traffickers working between our countries."

Dennis Pamplin arrested Brian Henry assisted Dennis Pamplin in packaging more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana

A year-long police investigation is said to have uncovered evidence that five shipments of marijuana were sent from New Jersey to Bermuda du...

Peter Lloyd ABC foreign correspondent formally charged at a private hearing in Changi General Hospital's prison ward with trafficking and possession

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEDXeL9BhkET28BDthT_rKjr4LNIQ-8RzfScFkX5flGeE6uXFm0i-7IdP6QxcM7VfnbSU9bkZ2aw1sTKw-6og_kfFKeEPs6d_1n1oDDGdRGPEiugBOGDXgr6MeQOPQZF9e_M0V-D8eUc/s1600-h/peterlloyd-420x0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224954769235120498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEDXeL9BhkET28BDthT_rKjr4LNIQ-8RzfScFkX5flGeE6uXFm0i-7IdP6QxcM7VfnbSU9bkZ2aw1sTKw-6og_kfFKeEPs6d_1n1oDDGdRGPEiugBOGDXgr6MeQOPQZF9e_M0V-D8eUc/s400/peterlloyd-420x0.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> ABC foreign correspondent and accused drug trafficker Peter Lloyd has been discharged from a Singapore hospital and offered bail ahead of his next court appearance on Friday.The public broadcaster sent its senior legal adviser, Rob Simpson, to help Lloyd, who was formally charged at a private hearing in Changi General Hospital's prison ward with trafficking and possession of the methamphetamine ice. Lloyd, the ABC's South Asia correspondent, was on leave in Singapore when arrested on Wednesday. News of the arrest of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) much respected South Asian correspondent Peter Lloyd has left his colleagues and the company management quite stunned and shocked. Most of them in New Delhi and back at the company's headquarters in Australia are still unable to comprehend how a journalist so versed in Asian drug laws could be accused of breaking them. According to news.com.au, Lloyd could face harsh punishment, including being caned 15 times and sentenced to 20 years in prison for violating Singapore's strict drug laws.Lloyd, 41, who reports for ABC from New Delhi, was arrested on Wednesday for supplying, possessing and trafficking methamphetamine, or ice. His arrest took place in a Singapore hospital where he was being treated for an eye infection. He was in the city on a holiday. Singapore court documents released last night show Lloyd was charged with trafficking about 1g gram of methamphetamine to a Singaporean for 100 Singapore dollars (75 dollars) at a hotel early this month. He also faces a second charge for allegedly being in possession of methamphetamine. "It is not looking very good and people are in genuine shock because the accusations are so out of character. That it has happened in Singapore makes it that much worse - any foreign correspondent in Asia knows better than to break the law there or in other parts of Asia," an ABC source was quoted, as saying. Meanwhile, ABC's new breakfast program has been thrown into turmoil by Lloyd's arrest, as he was due to launch and co-host the new four hour news Breakfast TV program on ABC2 with Virginia Trioli in September. It is understood Lloyd flew to Singapore from Indonesia this week where he visited his estranged wife Kirstyn and their two children. They now live in Jakarta where she works, and colleagues confirmed they separated six months ago after Lloyd came out as a gay man.Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau moved on Lloyd after a Singapore man, 31, was found with 0.6g of ice in his apartment. Officers alleged it was supplied by Lloyd. He was then arrested, and officers alleged a further 0.8g of ice plus implements to administer the drug were found. A spokesperson for the CNB said Lloyd had been offered bail and his case had been fixed for next mention on July 25. Lloyd was appointed ABC correspondent in New Delhi in 2006 and reports for ABC TV and radio. He had spent the previous four years in Bangkok. He has extensively covered the Schapelle Corby and Bali Nine drug cases. He also covered the case of Australian Nguyen Tuong Van, executed by Singapore in 2005 for heroin trafficking. The ABC said it had sent a lawyer to represent Lloyd. Singapore lawyer Shashi Nathan, who is not representing Lloyd, said the reporter may have to provide about 38,000 dollars to 53,000 dollars to get bail

Peter Lloyd ABC foreign correspondent formally charged at a private hearing in Changi General Hospital's prison ward with trafficking and possession

ABC foreign correspondent and accused drug trafficker Peter Lloyd has been discharged from a Singapore hospital and offered bail ahead of hi...

Martin Wanden’s six-bedroom home is to be auctioned after being seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit.

Martin Wanden’s six-bedroom home with sweeping sea views at Llandudno, Cape Town, is to be auctioned after being seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit.Wanden is on trial in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court after being arrested in July last year — while bobbing in the sea, off the Irish coast, along with bales of cocaine worth R1-billion. The drug bust set off an international probe, involving authorities in SA, who investigated alleged money laundering, and the US, UK and Spain. authorities hope the luxury home, which boasts a spa-bath, a wraparound terrace with a pool, four-car garage and views of the coast, will fetch around R14-million. An inflatable boat and a black Range Rover — reportedly given to the builder of the house by Wanden’s wife, Sonya (who was found hanged this year in a psychiatric hospital in Britain) when she tried to dispose of their assets. Wanden has denied being the driver of the boat that capsized with the drugs about 48km off the west Cork coast.Wanden told the Cork Circuit Criminal Court that he had been camping when he received a call from a friend, Charles Goldie, who claimed to be experiencing difficulty while fishing at sea. Wanden claimed an argument broke out between him and Goldie when one of three men transferred drugs onto the boat he took to rescue them. He said he was pushed into the capsized boat and left stranded at sea with the drugs.Jonathan Smiedt, of ClareMart Auction Group who will be auctioning the mansion, said they had received five offers for the house — four of them local.The AFU’s Hermione Cronje said this was the second case the unit had helped a foreign government wrap up. The first case was a request from the Nigerian government involving a politician, Diepreye Alamiyeseigha, who was embroiled in a money-laundering scandal in 2006. “This sends out a message to criminals trying to hide the proceeds of their crimes that South Africa is not a haven for them,” said Cronje.

Martin Wanden’s six-bedroom home is to be auctioned after being seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit.

Martin Wanden’s six-bedroom home with sweeping sea views at Llandudno, Cape Town, is to be auctioned after being seized by the Asset Forfeit...

Brian D. Underwood and Holly J. King arrested by Sun Prairie police and state Department of Justice agents.

Brian D. Underwood, 31, and Holly J. King, 38, were indicted in April for using a residence at 1106 Pine St. to make methamphetamine after being arrested by Sun Prairie police and state Department of Justice agents. Although cooking the ingredients to make methamphetamine creates a strong odor, Sun Prairie police didn't receive a tip about Underwood's activity until earlier this year, said Assistant U.S. Attorney David Reinhard. After their search of Underwood's garage, authorities brought in a hazardous waste cleanup team to remove contaminate residue and equipment from the once-functioning methamphetamine lab, he said.Prior to obtaining a search warrant, police learned that Underwood had acquired 140 grams of pseudoephedrine from area pharmacies, said Reinhard. Underwood told authorities that he made methamphetamine three times a week between March 9, 2007 and March 18, 2008, Reinhard said.Reinhard said Underwood made about 200 grams of methamphetamine during the past year, which he characterized as "quite a lot."Underwood faces statutory maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine at a Sept. 24 sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb. Underwood's actual sentence will reflect the amount of methamphetamine he made, his role in the offense, prior convictions and his agreement to plead guilty.

Brian D. Underwood and Holly J. King arrested by Sun Prairie police and state Department of Justice agents.

Brian D. Underwood, 31, and Holly J. King, 38, were indicted in April for using a residence at 1106 Pine St. to make methamphetamine after b...

Brandon Drumgoole was found guilty of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia

Brandon Drumgoole was found guilty of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia charges last week in Jackson County District Court.Acco...

Brandon Drumgoole was found guilty of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia

Brandon Drumgoole was found guilty of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia charges last week in Jackson County District Court.Acco...

Sotiris Christos Andreas has been jailed for 14-and-a-half years

Sotiris Christos Andreas, of The Ridgeway, Enfield, was caught when customs officers searched his car in Dover last September.They discovere...

Karla Von Hagen 18 months for the crack cocaine, six months for the marijuana and three months for a breach of undertaking.

Karla Von Hagen, 18 at the time of the offence, broke down in tears in the courtroom as the sentence was read and was taken away by provincial courthouse security. Judge Tom Ferris gave Von Hagen 18 months for the crack cocaine, six months for the marijuana and three months for a breach of undertaking. The sentences are to be served concurrently, meaning at the same time. Von Hagen admitted to smuggling a package in her vaginal cavity into the prison Saskatchewan Penitentiary, but claimed she didn’t do the packaging and didn’t know what was in it. When she got to the prison, Von Hagen was tested and searched for drugs and brought into an interview room. She was nervous, according to the Crown, and after a trip to the bathroom produced the package. Inside the package, prison staff found two rocks of crack and about $160-$200 worth of marijuana. She was released on undertaking, until she was observed by police drinking beer at a local bar in March 2007 and charged with the breach. She pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking and failure to comply to condition of undertaking.

Karla Von Hagen 18 months for the crack cocaine, six months for the marijuana and three months for a breach of undertaking.

Karla Von Hagen, 18 at the time of the offence, broke down in tears in the courtroom as the sentence was read and was taken away by provinci...

Gavin Archibald Thorburn appeared at Solihull Magistrates Court yesterday.

Gavin Archibald Thorburn, of Scatterill Close, Bradwell, appeared at Solihull Magistrates Court yesterday.He was arrested last Monday after he landed at Birmingham international airport on a flight from Nairobi via Dubai.Officers from the newly formed UK Border Agency (UKBA) seized the drugs which were found concealed in luggage.Mr Thorburn was charged with attempting to import three kilos of cocaine with a value of £120,000 - this would have doubled or even trebled once 'cut' by drug dealers.He has not yet made a plea and was remanded until August. Steve Roper, Detection Manager for UKBA, said: "This is an excellent result and an example of good joint working by our teams of officers. We will continue to work with our partners in HMRC to tackle smugglers who attempt to bring goods illegally into the UK. "We hope this sends out a clear message that our approach is one of zero tolerance. "Regional airports should not be seen as a 'soft touch' for smuggling activities."

Gavin Archibald Thorburn appeared at Solihull Magistrates Court yesterday.

Gavin Archibald Thorburn, of Scatterill Close, Bradwell, appeared at Solihull Magistrates Court yesterday.He was arrested last Monday after ...

Stuart Wood shoplifter was told by a judge that he was being locked up as a favour after being caught for a fresh spate of offences.

shoplifter was told by a judge that he was being locked up as a favour after being caught for a fresh spate of offences.Judge Peter Bowers told hopeless drug-addict Stuart Wood: "By the time you come out, you will be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as they say."After jailing Wood for two-and-a-half years, the judge added: "Get yourself on a drug-free wing, if you can, and sort your life out."The only thing I can do is give you a sufficiently long sentence so by the time you come out you won't have the same dependency upon drugs."Teesside Crown Court heard that Wood went on a month-long shoplifting spree shortly after being freed from jail in April for similar offences.The 30-year-old racked up 14 offences in and around his home town after repeatedly being caught and given bail either by police or magistrates. In all, he committed 11 thefts from shops and one burglary, failed to surrender to court and failed to give a sample for a drugs test.The shoplifting was carried out at convenience stores in Stockton as well as nearby Thornaby and Norton, and included aftershave and alcohol.Alasdair Campbell, prosecuting, told the court that the burglary was at a Stockton post office after Wood sneaked into a store room. Wood was caught on closed circuit television cameras at most of the shops, and the total value of the goods he stole was £472, said Mr Campbell.He was twice arrested after each spate, but was freed on bail either after being quizzed or put before Teesside Magistrates' Court.The judge questioned him being given bail, and said: "For goodness sake, he had committed ten thefts. They should have given him the key to the shop."He told Wood, of Cheshire Road, Norton: "It is dismal reading, this record of yours, but I have got some sympathy for your plight."You are clearly a drug addict and the only way you can feed your habit is by stealing. "I understand every time you are given bail there is an inevitability your drug craving is requiring you to do something to get drugs." Peter Wishlade, mitigating, said jobless Wood got involved in drugs after the death of his grandmother when he was 18, and had a £500-a-week habit.He added: "While I don't want to criticise the magistrates, he would not be appearing for this catalogue of offences had he not been given bail."Wood admitted all the charges.

Stuart Wood shoplifter was told by a judge that he was being locked up as a favour after being caught for a fresh spate of offences.

shoplifter was told by a judge that he was being locked up as a favour after being caught for a fresh spate of offences.Judge Peter Bowers t...

Trevor Bowman member of a County Durham drugs gang who has been on the run from police for 11 years is now believed to be abroad

MEMBER of a County Durham drugs gang who has been on the run from police for 11 years is now believed to be abroad, a court was told yesterd...

Michael Hunt admitted two charges of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply and one of possessing a Class C drug

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjlyWvb9LK4ajCWj2y1nPKkNbsEHzcLPP8MJgetoNkt46dWgbisV3h-zFqlQOREZ9LfgTXOktDnOVEnzQ6pSiadUqXaLX_Ht1WFjAGZ0kSESqk2Z3S4I_xPqK3ikEWrhgBm-CxiI-DBs/s1600-h/C3E2B79B-CB9E-8BFF-16BBFB1AB8F244B1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223551720550285938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjlyWvb9LK4ajCWj2y1nPKkNbsEHzcLPP8MJgetoNkt46dWgbisV3h-zFqlQOREZ9LfgTXOktDnOVEnzQ6pSiadUqXaLX_Ht1WFjAGZ0kSESqk2Z3S4I_xPqK3ikEWrhgBm-CxiI-DBs/s400/C3E2B79B-CB9E-8BFF-16BBFB1AB8F244B1.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> Michael Hunt’s home in Haswell Court, Stockton, was searched by police on April 19 last year and Hunt, 30, threw a package containing 24.3g of heroin, worth £2,430 on the streets, out of a window, Teesside Crown Court heard.Digital scales and 11 pieces of paper carrying his phone number were also found, said prosecutor Harry Hadfield.While on bail during long delays bringing the case to court, Hunt was caught with heroin on April 1 this year.He ran from police in Talbot Street, Stockton and discarded three packages in a garden. They contained a total of 280.6g of heroin, worth £14,180.A drugs squad officer believed only a trusted member of the illicit drugs market would be caught with that amount, the court heard. Hunt had some scales in his pocket and 2.3g of cannabis.He admitted two charges of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply and one of possessing a Class C drug. He had previous convictions, but none for drug dealing. Brian Russell, for Hunt, said: “The people who are up the hierarchy are not stupid enough to be seen walking around the streets with £14,000 worth of heroin. They employ patsies - people to take the risk on their behalf.” He said Hunt was intimidated to transport and store drugs, gaining only drugs for his own use. The judge, Recorder Henry Prosser, accepted he was not at the top of the hierarchy, but dealing was taking place at Hunt’s house and the offences were “hugely serious”. Hunt’s partner at the time of the first raid, Leanne Saunders, 26, a Stockton Council drug support worker, who also worked with drugs group PANIC, was given an 18-month conditional discharge with £100 costs.She admitted possession of 0.02g of heroin - traces found in a Kinder Egg. It was accepted she relapsed into heroin use and was not involved in dealing. She had not been in trouble since.

Michael Hunt admitted two charges of possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply and one of possessing a Class C drug

Michael Hunt’s home in Haswell Court, Stockton, was searched by police on April 19 last year and Hunt, 30, threw a package containing 24.3g ...

Paul Edward Russon charged with possessing large quantities of cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis resin with intent to supply.

Paul Edward Russon, 34, of Bickersteth Close, Stockton, is charged with possessing large quantities of cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis res...

Tanweer Razak, Piotr Izbicki, Rukhsar Bashier and Ajaz Arif all deny conspiring to produce cannabis.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnnDw4evi56t3aIOWnNjGEkiEeU_7cxUVeJXs_3i1V98X8khW1V4VKBxPR37pNo9hTya5Ac32xIApCmIw-J8waiD-eZHgyS4DWTFOvgnZ2379GEYdfzZWreVALbVAhpP10mNjdREA25k/s1600-h/farm.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223550383648307378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnnDw4evi56t3aIOWnNjGEkiEeU_7cxUVeJXs_3i1V98X8khW1V4VKBxPR37pNo9hTya5Ac32xIApCmIw-J8waiD-eZHgyS4DWTFOvgnZ2379GEYdfzZWreVALbVAhpP10mNjdREA25k/s400/farm.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> Four men are accused of involvement in a plot to produce cannabis after more than 1,100 plants with a potential value of up to £250,000 were found in four Middlesbrough homes, pictured above the cannabis farm found in the house on Roworth Road.The crops were seized in a series of police raids on Roworth Road, Arlington Road, Ambleside Grove and Glenfield Drive in October last year. Prosecutor Sarah Mallett said the properties were bought to set up sophisticated factories which suggested commercial cultivation and national distribution of the drug. Tanweer Razak, Piotr Izbicki, Rukhsar Bashier and Ajaz Arif all deny conspiring to produce cannabis.Defence barristers made closing speeches yesterday, saying there was a lack of evidence of knowledge or agreement in a conspiracy, or linking the accused to the cannabis.Taxi driver Razak, 28, is alleged to be the unscrupulous, money-motivated “mastermind” or “top man”. His counsel, Caroline Goodwin, said if he was the brains of the outfit, he did it in “the most cack-handed way”.The Crown say Izbicki, 26, acted as a go-between and was heavily involved in the day-to-day management of the properties.His barrister David Lamb said the builder was just a worker who thought he was doing a fair day’s work “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.One “Mr Tai” was said to be “a dark figure lurking behind the conspiracy” who exerted a grip on others, threatened Izbicki and abused Arif’s trust.The prosecution said Arif, 33, bought all four homes in 2007. Arif said he knew nothing of the cannabis production until he was arrested. Peter Sabiston, for Arif, said he was “given a few bob to tell a few white lies on a mortgage application form and ask no further questions”. It is alleged that 34-year-old Bashier was an investor financing the illicit enterprise.Stan Reiz, for Bashier, said he was a credible, respectable, successful businessman and the only evidence against him was five banker’s drafts said to be deposits for the properties. Judge Michael Taylor is to sum up the case against the four, all from Reading. On his direction earlier in the trial, the jury acquitted a fifth defendant, Tokeer Akhtar, 27, also from Reading. Proceeding

Tanweer Razak, Piotr Izbicki, Rukhsar Bashier and Ajaz Arif all deny conspiring to produce cannabis.

Four men are accused of involvement in a plot to produce cannabis after more than 1,100 plants with a potential value of up to £250,000 were...

Savdhul Zaman former England international light welterweight boxer found guilty

Savdhul Zaman is a former England international light welterweight boxer. He and John Coltman, aged 27, one of his tenants in Stainton Street, North Ormesby, denied charges of conspiracy to supply Class C drugs but were found guilty by a jury.Another tenant, Zameer Ahmed, aged 25, admitted the charge. The trio were all sentenced at Teeside Crown Court. Coltman, now of Longlands Road, Middlesbrough, was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, with 80 hours of unpaid work.Ahmed, of Pickering Road, Thornaby, near Stockton, was given a nine-month sentence, suspended for a year, with 150 hours of community work. During the court case Zaman, of Westbourne Grove, North Ormesby, claimed he was not aware of illegal activity involving about £12,000 worth of cannabis at the house. He said his fingerprints were found on packages of the drug because he had touched them as he tidied the house before putting it up for sale. Another man, Richard Bellamy, 23, from Wharncliffe Side, Sheffield, who was accused of acting as a courier for the Class C drug, was cleared of conspiracy.• A recent police operation involving Haringey Council uncovered 13 illegally converted houses of multiple occupation (HMO). They also found 15 premises using illegal electricity and four others were found to be using an illegal gas supply. The council is now considering appointing a ‘HMO tsar’ to deal with dodgy landlords. The fears of tenants and their neighbours have been rising due to the increase in the number of HMOs in the area recently. This has led to practices such as landlords creating fire risks by doing their own rewiring to bypass electric meters. Many landlords have legally applied for and been granted HMO licences in Haringey – close to 200 since 2006 – and are controlled by legislation.But others have been found breaching HMO laws relating to planning consent and conversions

Savdhul Zaman former England international light welterweight boxer found guilty

Savdhul Zaman is a former England international light welterweight boxer. He and John Coltman, aged 27, one of his tenants in Stainton Stree...

Timothy Jones was convicted of distribution of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute

Timothy Jones, 37, of Youngstown, Ohio, was convicted of distribution of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in a bench trial before Superior Court Judge Julie Marino. Jones and his girlfriend, Joan Davis, was arrested Aug. 23, 2007 by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Organized Crime and Narcotics Task Force after detectives saw Davis conduct a hand-to-hand cocaine deal with a third party. In February Davis pled guilty and attempted to exonerate Jones by claiming he was not involved in her cocaine sale or possession. During the trial, both Jones and Davis testified Jones was not involved in Davis' drug activities. But Marino found their testimony was not credible, and that Jones and Davis worked together to sell cocaine. At the time of his arrest, Jones was on probation for a February 2006 conviction for distribution of drugs in Union County. Jones also has a 1991 conviction for aggravated assault in Ohio. Because of his record, Jones is eligible to be sentenced to an extended term of up to 10 years in prison. Jones is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 5.

Timothy Jones was convicted of distribution of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute

Timothy Jones, 37, of Youngstown, Ohio, was convicted of distribution of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in a be...

Maurice Johnson was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison

Maurice Johnson was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and will remain on supervised probation 10 more years after that following a sentencing hearing Monday in Chattanooga on a federal cocaine distribution guilty plea.The 38-year-old former Sweetwater High School basketball star pleaded guilty in April to one count of a multi-count indictment that charged him with running a major crack cocaine ring out of a Madisonville game room.Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Neff said Johnson tried to withdraw his guilty plea at the last minute, however Judge R. Allan Edgar ruled the defendant did not meet the criteria to be granted a plea withdrawal.Johnson’s criminal past bumped up the minimum sentence requirement on his latest conviction.“He had a federal felony drug conviction (in 2001) and that bumped it up from 10 to 20 years,” Neff said of the minimum sentence Johnson could serve.The court waived any major fines against Johnson because of his inability to pay but Johnson is to pay a $100 special assessment. Johnson had gotten previous charges for the same alleged crimes dismissed last year because a judge ruled his right to a speedy trial had been violated.However, the judge’s ruling left the door open for prosecutors to revisit the Madisonville game room case.A federal grand jury indicted Johnson on the same charges again late last yearAuthorities said Johnson began running a crack cocaine ring out of the M & M Game Room and Deli on Tellico Street in Madisonville not long after his release from prison in 2005 on a drug conviction.Officers from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Madisonville and Sweetwater police departments arrested Johnson near I-75 on March 31, 2006.Police said Johnson tried to swallow drugs when the officer closed in. Authorities contend Johnson’s drug operation was substantial.“The cost of drugs can vary,” then Sheriff Doug Watson said at the time. “But he was probably making about $36,000 a week selling crack cocaine.”Neff said there is no parole for federal sentences and Johnson would have to serve at least 85 percent, 17 years, of his sentence.Neff said prisoners serving federal sentences have a chance to meet good behavior and other criteria to reduce their term from 100 percent to 85 percent. Johnson has a July 31 motions hearing pending on murder charges in Cleveland. Johnson stands charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the 1999 shooting deaths of three people in a Cleveland apartment.Two other suspects are charged in connection with the fatal shootings.

Maurice Johnson was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison

Maurice Johnson was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and will remain on supervised probation 10 more years after that following a sen...

Vernon Lee Nolan charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine

Vernon Lee Nolan of 850 Adams Creek Road was arrested at his home by Craven County Sheriff narcotics officers. He is charged with possession...

Dillon O'Brien charges alleged that he brought a controlled drug, diamorphine, vodka and mobile phones to prisoners at Mountjoy

Dillon O'Brien (36), of Clonsilla, Dublin, was charged with 14 offences between January 2005 and March 2007. The charges alleged that he brought a controlled drug, diamorphine, vodka and mobile phones to prisoners at Mountjoy, contrary to section 6(2), of the Criminal Law Act 1976. One charge alleged the prison officer conspired with Wayne Bradley and another person to commit a breach of section 83 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 by supplying cocaine to David Mulvey, contrary to common law, between March 12 and March 12 last year.Garda David Carolan told Judge Miriam Malone in the Circuit Criminal Court that O'Brien was arrested at 6.50am yesterday. He was remanded on bail of €1,000 and ordered to sign on three times a week at Blanchardstown garda station. O'Brien will reappear at Dublin District Court on August 26. The four other men were all remanded on bail by Judge Malone to appear at the same court on July 29. Sean Hinchon (30), of St Ronan's Close, Clondalkin, Dublin, faced three charges alleging that between January 1, 2005, and March 15 last year, he conspired with Dillon O'Brien and another person to bring diamorphine into Mountjoy. Three charges alleging he brought mobile phones into the jail between January 1, 2005 and March 15, 2007 were also laid against him. Thomas Hinchon (28), of St Ronan's Close, Clondalkin, faced three charges of conspiring with Dillon O'Brien and another person to bring diamorphine into the prison and three charges relating to smuggling in a mobile phone. Paul Dixon (27), of Valeview Drive, Finglas, appeared on six charges of unlawful possession of controlled drugs, including cocaine and cannabis resin in cell 26, on landing B3 of the prison, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Acts, on March 15, 2007. Nigel Curran (32), of Corduff Gardens, Blanchardstown, was charged that between March 9, 2007 and April 3, 2007, he stole assorted "Profitline" hairdressing products and 208 packets of ventolin evohaler from United Drug Pharmaceutical Products' premises at Magna Business Park in City West, Dublin contrary to section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

Dillon O'Brien charges alleged that he brought a controlled drug, diamorphine, vodka and mobile phones to prisoners at Mountjoy

Dillon O'Brien (36), of Clonsilla, Dublin, was charged with 14 offences between January 2005 and March 2007. The charges alleged that he...

Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page has been arrested in New York with possession of cocaine.

Steven Page, 38, is charged with possession of a controlled substance. Police said Page was released on $10,000 bail.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPedU5B6OWWzjGXjqAg6xkX1CrQa9St2t8er9Tr5OUyfuehObblaEkgLYLFKAg5afEdQTgobiuXZYlynoBIEzs3MCOKsQ0LLUn-L4DK5F2redK3ZjLI7_UypzsS1jR7o_clJKZw4SVRM/s1600-h/aapage.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223542119824052978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPedU5B6OWWzjGXjqAg6xkX1CrQa9St2t8er9Tr5OUyfuehObblaEkgLYLFKAg5afEdQTgobiuXZYlynoBIEzs3MCOKsQ0LLUn-L4DK5F2redK3ZjLI7_UypzsS1jR7o_clJKZw4SVRM/s400/aapage.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page has been arrested in New York with possession of cocaine.Police in Syracuse, N.Y. said Page was arrested Friday along with two American women after police noticed something suspicious in an apartment in the village of Fayette.As [the officers] approached the apartment they saw people in the window sitting at a table and it looked like they were engaged in something. There was a white capsule and a white powdery substance that later tested positive for cocaine." said Capt. Bill Bleyle with the Manlius Police Department in New York State.Bleyle said a further search of the apartment turned up more cocaine and some marijuana. However he said the charges in connection with Page only related to the cocaine.Page's manager, Terry McBride, said he cannot comment while the matter is before the courts, but added he's confident his client will be cleared of all charges.Until then, said McBride, it's "business as usual for the Barenaked Ladies." Page is scheduled to appear in court July 17.