Crime Correspondent

Felicia J. Bowen,a Falcon Cove Middle School teacher's assistant, was arrested Tuesday.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaxq3jNDS1MWep04_-ouh7n7JH58KB3ioFJI0FoG8flDDiwfbUKeP004lFePksFTs2gS1e7iqHteA1LwZaqQKDIKsSYqhyphenhyphenqwGzU6ey8PH9dLCTV8xvh8hzFA7i5mwZTjHUQKbCVL4X9o/s1600-h/fel.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294029799189343714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaxq3jNDS1MWep04_-ouh7n7JH58KB3ioFJI0FoG8flDDiwfbUKeP004lFePksFTs2gS1e7iqHteA1LwZaqQKDIKsSYqhyphenhyphenqwGzU6ey8PH9dLCTV8xvh8hzFA7i5mwZTjHUQKbCVL4X9o/s200/fel.bmp" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 144px; height: 200px;" /></a> Felicia J. Bowen, 41, is suspected of buying 2.3 grams of cocaine Dec. 17 in a truck stop parking lot, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. When deputies approached her, she admitted to the transaction and pulled the small, clear bags containing the powder out of her bra, the Sheriff's Office said. After an investigation, Bowen, a Falcon Cove Middle School teacher's assistant, was arrested Tuesday. She was released from jail on $1,000 bond.On Jan. 13, Orlando Dager, then a substitute teacher at Cypress Bay High School, landed in jail when a deputy pulled him over and found eight bags — or four pounds — of marijuana in his car. Dager, 24, of Southwest Ranches, has since been released from jail on bond. Bowen, of Pembroke Pines, also was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession in 2003, public records show. She was sentenced to three days in jail. The Broward School District hired her in 2000, and her annual salary is $16,406, district spokesman Andrew Feirstein said. She will be reassigned to a position away from children while district officials investigate.

Felicia J. Bowen,a Falcon Cove Middle School teacher's assistant, was arrested Tuesday.

Felicia J. Bowen, 41, is suspected of buying 2.3 grams of cocaine Dec. 17 in a truck stop parking lot, according to the Broward Sheriff'...

Lawrence Vigil, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Lawrence Vigil, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Joe Brewer, 21, has reached a plea agreement, according to federal c...

Murder,Stanislav Markelov had fought the early release of a Russian colonel

Markelov was shot in the back of the head at close range by an attacker who followed him after the news conference, wore a stocking-style mask and had a silencer on his gun — clear signs of a planned killing, state-run RIA-Novosti news agency reported, citing an unidentified law enforcement official. Police also reportedly said there were several witnesses. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VTAMxmcS0AT21f1KQoPSZ4iYiWc_4nQVHY_X12pl4ttrq9Kiwp6d_vklPzlWbTpU4rQGIRvz9QokL3MXPGGnxVH2jESCPIUEOkkYfXq9MLvHnftwyXMMl-K4uScYWMgl54xCBSoE-G4/s1600-h/m2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293156595704833314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VTAMxmcS0AT21f1KQoPSZ4iYiWc_4nQVHY_X12pl4ttrq9Kiwp6d_vklPzlWbTpU4rQGIRvz9QokL3MXPGGnxVH2jESCPIUEOkkYfXq9MLvHnftwyXMMl-K4uScYWMgl54xCBSoE-G4/s400/m2.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 115px;" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofZM6Uq7o-WnVqaBekv96-ie_PG7IScSqhNgBzb43S-3NdcPLfO7MNpxEOo7NaFPXFCGSL3qRIAsHiyPJtcSdVYpPxmpv4roiSwL9cWHdl-NLwnaxzvabaXQc_UuhpsBIt-om5mJV-xM/s1600-h/m.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293156587754650818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofZM6Uq7o-WnVqaBekv96-ie_PG7IScSqhNgBzb43S-3NdcPLfO7MNpxEOo7NaFPXFCGSL3qRIAsHiyPJtcSdVYpPxmpv4roiSwL9cWHdl-NLwnaxzvabaXQc_UuhpsBIt-om5mJV-xM/s400/m.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 130px;" /></a> Stanislav Markelov had fought the early release of a Russian colonel whose killing of a Chechen woman in 2000 put names and faces on the gruesome rights abuses in the war-wracked region. His death Monday angered many Chechens, already upset by the release of last week of the military officer.Colleagues drew comparisons with the 2006 killing of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya — a client of Markelov's and a fellow enemy of rights abuses in Chechnya and across former President Vladimir Putin's Russia."This is a horrible, frightening crime," said Tatyana Lokshina of the Human Rights Watch.Prominent rights activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva called the shooting "a disgrace for Russia," the Interfax news agency reported.Markelov, 34, was shot near a building where he had just held a news conference, about half a mile (1 kilometer) from the Kremlin, said Viktoria Tsyplenkova, a spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee of the Moscow prosecutor's office.Anastasia Baburova, a freelance journalist in her mid-20s who had worked for the newspaper Novaya Gazeta newspaper, was shot when she tried to intervene after Markelov was attacked, said Andrei Lipsky, a deputy editor. Another Novaya Gazeta editor, Sergei Sokolov, later said she died on an operating table.Markelov, who represented the family of the 18-year-old Chechen woman killed by Col. Yuri Budanov in 2000, had told reporters he was considering filing an international court appeal against Budanov's early release, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported.The colonel was freed last week with more than a year left in his murder sentence.Budanov was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to 10 years — including time served — for strangling Heda Kungayeva. He admitted killing her, saying he believed she was a rebel sniper in the Kremlin's war against Chechen insurgents.Budanov's case was closely watched as a test of authorities' determination to punish rights abuses in Chechnya. But he was held up as a hero by racist nationalist groups, some of whose members held rallies to support him during court hearings.Kungayeva's father Visa Kungayev, who has taken refuge in Norway with his family, said Markelov told him when they spoke Friday that he had been threatened with death if he refused to drop the case, the Interfax news agency reported. <blockquote>Budanov's release drew criticism from rights activists and lawyers, who pointed out that inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes but considered Kremlin foes — such as former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky — have been refused early release.</blockquote>Defense lawyers who represent whistleblowers, Kremlin foes and Russians who claim abuse at the hands of authorities sometimes find themselves targeted, and Politkovskaya is one of more than a dozen journalists killed in Russia since Putin, now prime minister, began his 8-year presidency in 2000."Stanislav Markelov is yet another victim — very possibly murdered for his professional and courageous work to defend human rights," Nicola Duckworth, regional program director at Amnesty International, said in a statement.Markelov had represented Politkovskaya, who wrote extensively about human rights violations in Chechnya. He also had represented activists who have battled abuses the Russia's military and a Chechen woman who was a victim in a 2002 hostage-taking attack on a Moscow theater. "He was always on the front line," said Alexander Cherkasov of the human rights organization Memorial.Cherkasov said Markelov was instrumental in another case involving alleged atrocities by the Russian military in Chechnya — the 2005 conviction of a police officer, Sergei Lapin, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the torture and "disappearance" of a young Chechen man.Markelov spent months trying to persuade authorities to prosecute Lapin for allegedly threatening Politkovskaya's life. On April 16, 2004, Markelov was riding home on the Moscow subway when five young men accosted him and beat him unconscious, he told a journalist later that year.He said one of his attackers shouted "You asked for this!"When he awoke, his cell phone and papers on the Politkovskaya case were gone, although his wallet and cash were untouched. When he tried to report the attack, he said, police accused him of faking his injuries.A Chechen parliament deputy, Isa Khadzhimuratov, said Monday he believes Markelov's killing was likely connected to the Budanov case. "Like a real patriot, Markelov decided to restore justice and protect the interests of his clients," Khadzhimuratov said.One of Markelov's last clients was Mokhamadsalakh Masayev, who alleged in 2006 he was held in a secret prison in Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov's home village and subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment. Masayev was abducted in Chechnya in August; his whereabouts remain unknown."For victims of human rights abuses in Chechnya he was a hero," Lokshina said.

Murder,Stanislav Markelov had fought the early release of a Russian colonel

Markelov was shot in the back of the head at close range by an attacker who followed him after the news conference, wore a stocking-style ma...

Harry Nicolaides, 41, was sentenced to 6 years in Prison

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNoDj2nUQbxYpN6pYGyDMw12cmW4U3IPEYw-TS4hduJPLAfWmnQW4UUKzWipLjGhqbKTpK7mmbAT_nLAZn4FwV7d4DKW4qe2H9Y_jLd-Y2ioYkCJ6-YB31RqXe4yqQo2wYar7EMfY-T0/s1600-h/HarryNicolaides-300.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293153994093843682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNoDj2nUQbxYpN6pYGyDMw12cmW4U3IPEYw-TS4hduJPLAfWmnQW4UUKzWipLjGhqbKTpK7mmbAT_nLAZn4FwV7d4DKW4qe2H9Y_jLd-Y2ioYkCJ6-YB31RqXe4yqQo2wYar7EMfY-T0/s400/HarryNicolaides-300.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" /></a>Harry Nicolaides, 41, was sentenced for insulting the king and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in his self-published 2005 book "Verisimilitude," which he has said sold seven copies. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdMVlXmS_LRme3Fh9KHr702ebzm_FfZDr-p8tuJUAhmEDJ6yVDRb_c-ejex5jdw_fqda9gQRXbKspHpzfW4T4W3MpWIsDCxwRoSyzfcihRouf6AlCcB_tiohT7BFvN7mp3rTRJbnCH24/s1600-h/harryinprison.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293153989830417858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdMVlXmS_LRme3Fh9KHr702ebzm_FfZDr-p8tuJUAhmEDJ6yVDRb_c-ejex5jdw_fqda9gQRXbKspHpzfW4T4W3MpWIsDCxwRoSyzfcihRouf6AlCcB_tiohT7BFvN7mp3rTRJbnCH24/s400/harryinprison.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" /></a>Shackled at the ankles and handcuffed, Nicolaides said he felt "dreadful" as guards escorted him out of the courtroom. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0qtvCsLmLJTfowhUotmPDVj8VOPK9jDL7R-exShEimClJtTrhDIYdAtO-Ih9XqpV_8zTJFL18voG5SEZudoJ1gxoiuZdvf7cYSadh7pYwyNj2SXtXcVY_A6xDp1rOIAwrayJYq65FNQ/s1600-h/090119a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293153990422522258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0qtvCsLmLJTfowhUotmPDVj8VOPK9jDL7R-exShEimClJtTrhDIYdAtO-Ih9XqpV_8zTJFL18voG5SEZudoJ1gxoiuZdvf7cYSadh7pYwyNj2SXtXcVY_A6xDp1rOIAwrayJYq65FNQ/s400/090119a.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 344px;" /></a> <blockquote> "I would like to apologize," he said, adding that he had "unqualified respect for the king of Thailand" and had not intended to insult him. He said he endured "unspeakable suffering" during his pretrial detention, but did not elaborate.</blockquote> <blockquote> The offending passage in the novel _ described by Nicolaides as a commentary on contemporary Thai political and social life _ was just a few sentences long and described the turbulent marital relations of its fictional prince.</blockquote> The passage "suggested that there was abuse of royal power," and caused "dishonor" to the king and the heir apparent, the presiding judge told the court. The prosecutor warned reporters Monday that the law prohibited publication and repetition of the material.

Harry Nicolaides, 41, was sentenced to 6 years in Prison

Harry Nicolaides, 41, was sentenced for insulting the king and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in his self-published 2005 book "Verisimilit...

Quirino Paulino admitted before the New York Prosecutor’s Office to having shipped around 33 tons of cocaine to the United States

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbb8n_HPvujN9VKfRz8kJxY6FtYnNm66IQHhDVV3JWGnMSDIuBK-kkx1ZzHHag5VtswGBBJR-RAtRC4q74Eb5Y9zcXyw-vZfmgp3ELFpOAPzttzFFB26wOE_TAOPFl-wLLHC-0gypVdY/s1600-h/dom.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292214598620390850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbb8n_HPvujN9VKfRz8kJxY6FtYnNm66IQHhDVV3JWGnMSDIuBK-kkx1ZzHHag5VtswGBBJR-RAtRC4q74Eb5Y9zcXyw-vZfmgp3ELFpOAPzttzFFB26wOE_TAOPFl-wLLHC-0gypVdY/s400/dom.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" /></a> Quirino Paulino admitted before the New York Prosecutor’s Office to having shipped around 33 tons of cocaine to the United States from 1996 to 2002 and laundering millions of dollars originating from drug trafficking. The figures are in Paulino’s plea bargaining agreement with New York’s South District Office of the Prosecutor This document, as far as the part that concerns Dominican Republic, was introduced yesterday in the National District Court of Appeals, during the hearing in the case against Paulino’s wife, Belkis Elizabeth Ubrí, where she appealed her 5 year prison sentence laundering money from drug trafficking.In the hearing the Justice Ministry dropped the charges against Ubrí, but the judge postponed it for February 19, to give her lawyers time to file a translation of Paulino’s agreement with United States authorities. The document was filed at the request of the lawyers of the codefendant in the case,m retired colonel Pedro Julio Goíco (Pepe). The document also states that Paulino gave to the United States US$14.5 million, money that the U.S. authorities decided to cede to the Dominican authorities, as part of the agreement.

Quirino Paulino admitted before the New York Prosecutor’s Office to having shipped around 33 tons of cocaine to the United States

Quirino Paulino admitted before the New York Prosecutor’s Office to having shipped around 33 tons of cocaine to the United States from 1996 ...

Leroy Carr, 47, of Federal Way, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 14 years in prison

Leroy Carr, 47, of Federal Way, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 14 years in prison and five years of supervised release for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute.On August 7, 2007, Carr contacted ICE agents at the border claiming that he had stashed 31 kilograms of cocaine in two blue backpacks near the border. Carr indicated the drugs were hidden in the brush near the entrance to a boy scout camp. Carr said he stashed the drugs August 3rd, and when he returned on August 4th, they were gone. CARR wanted the ICE agents to put out a press release saying the government had seized the drugs, so that the organized criminal group he works for would not retaliate against him for stealing the drugs. Two weeks later, on August 21, 2007, a Boy Scout Ranger called the Northwest Regional Drug Task Force and reported two blue backpacks he had just found near the entrance to a Boy Scout camp that appeared to contain cocaine. The backpacks were dry and in good shape. Tests showed they contained 31 kilograms of cocaine.At trial Carr testified falsely, trying to claim he never possessed the drugs and didn’t really know where they were, even though he had specifically described the location to the ICE agents and even drew them a map.

Leroy Carr, 47, of Federal Way, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 14 years in prison

Leroy Carr, 47, of Federal Way, Washington was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 14 years in prison and five years of sup...

Charles Alan Ramsay, was charged this morning with two counts of felony possession of cocaine.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO3JeqYiIYp9zuva8d0S4ViX1gyAVr_yVLFKpMn1I12UL1eq2bvzk_DmjPzOkvJyWV9_NLOiZ0Qaioos13NL94vqE3eqZanY5rVq1CsM7YgSfTAMJRwMHXBnMBUBgLMZprNyfLRlFgUk/s1600-h/00ramsay.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292211189058547506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO3JeqYiIYp9zuva8d0S4ViX1gyAVr_yVLFKpMn1I12UL1eq2bvzk_DmjPzOkvJyWV9_NLOiZ0Qaioos13NL94vqE3eqZanY5rVq1CsM7YgSfTAMJRwMHXBnMBUBgLMZprNyfLRlFgUk/s400/00ramsay.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 371px;" /></a> Charles Alan Ramsay, was charged this morning with two counts of felony possession of cocaine.Ramsay, 41, was charged with third-degree possession of three grams or more of cocaine, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He was also charged with a lesser, included charge of fifth-degree possession of cocaine. Ramsay was arrested Thursday afternoon shortly after Nissalke pleaded guilty to terroristic threats for an incident in May.Winona Police Investigator Jay Rasmussen noticed Ramsay exhibiting “suspicious behavior” after coming out of a bathroom on the third floor of the courthouse around 1 p.m., Winona Police Deputy Chief Paul Bostrack said. Police Chief Frank Pomeroy said Ramsay had been touching his nose with his hands “as if he had just ingested something with his nose.” Police evidence technician Angela Evans went into the conference room Ramsay had been using as a make-shift office and discovered a trace amount of cocaine on the table, according to reports.The Winona County Attorney’s Office was contacted and the case was referred to the sheriff’s department, which has jurisdiction over the courthouse.Ramsay was arrested around 3:30 p.m. by three officers, including Sheriff Dave Brand. Brand said a K9 unit sniffed Ramsay’s coat and briefcase and “got a hit” on the briefcase. A search warrant was executed on the case and other items, and police found cocaine, Brand said.Ramsay was held in the Olmsted County Jail overnight Thursday and made his first appearance in court this morning. Assistant City Attorney Bruce Nelson requested bail be set at $10,000 and requested a blood test from Ramsay before he could be released. Ramsay protested, saying a search warrant would be necessary. Judge Jeff Thompson set bail at $10,000 and denied Nelson’s request. Ramsay posted bail shortly after the hearing.Ramsay’s case will be prosecuted by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office because of conflicts of interest in the Winona County Attorney’s Office.It was not immediately clear how the charges would affect Nissalke’s plea deal or his pending charges of murder in the 1985 stabbing death of Ada Frances Senenfelder.

Charles Alan Ramsay, was charged this morning with two counts of felony possession of cocaine.

Charles Alan Ramsay, was charged this morning with two counts of felony possession of cocaine.Ramsay, 41, was charged with third-degree pos...

Anthony Hyginus, a suspected drug pusher was made to excrete 99 wraps of cocaine.

suicide mission embarked upon by Anthony Hyginus, a suspected drug pusher, on his way to Spain on Christmas day was terminated when he was m...

police arrested Alfredo Portales and Reva Martinez,

police arrested Alfredo Portales, 32, believed to be from Wisconsin, and Reva Martinez, 30, unknown address, according to a news release.Portales is being held on suspicion of first-degree possession of a controlled substance and felon in possession of a firearm. Martinez is being held on suspicion of first-degree possession of a controlled substance.A search warrant was then executed that resulted in the seizure of three-fourths of a pound of marijuana and a small amount of white heroin. That led to the arrest of Raul Garcia, 28, Moorhead, who is being held on suspicion of second-degree and fourth-degree controlled substance possession, the release said.Police also arrested Ruben Medrano, 39, Moorhead, during the investigation on outstanding felony warrants, the release said. Authorities from the Moorhead Police Department, Clay County Sheriff’s Department, West Fargo Police Department and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation, the release said.

police arrested Alfredo Portales and Reva Martinez,

police arrested Alfredo Portales, 32, believed to be from Wisconsin, and Reva Martinez, 30, unknown address, according to a news release.Por...

Jorge Solano Cortes was flown to the United States on Thursday

Jorge Solano Cortes was detained by Togolese police in November in an anti-drugs operation backed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Seven other Colombians, a Costa Rican and a Mexican were also detained, along with a South African, a Ghanaian and two Togolese.Police said the group was planning to fly 500 kg of cocaine from the northern town of Niamtougou in Togo, which is sandwiched between Ghana and Benin, to the Atlantic port of Lome from where it was to be smuggled in containers to Europe.Solano Cortes was flown to the United States on Thursday, Togo's government said in a statement, after it agreed to an extradition request from the U.S. Justice Department. He was wanted in the United States on charges of cocaine-smuggling.United Nations anti-narcotics experts say an increase of cocaine trafficking on West Africa's Atlantic seaboard in recent years has turned it into a "Coke Coast", with Colombian cartels using flotillas of planes and boats to smuggle drugs to Europe.Traffickers work with locals, sometimes in government or military and police circles, the experts say.Over the last three years, law enforcement authorities have made major cocaine seizures in Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mauritania and Sierra Leone and have also focused on bauxite-producer Guinea as a suspected trans-shipment hub.The experts say this pressure has driven the traffickers to seek out smaller states like Gambia, Togo or Benin

Jorge Solano Cortes was flown to the United States on Thursday

Jorge Solano Cortes was detained by Togolese police in November in an anti-drugs operation backed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administratio...

Ivan Gonzalez-Bejarano Colombian drug lord was sentenced to life in prison

Ivan Gonzalez-Bejarano was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to life in prison on charges of conspiring to import and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.In a related case, five Jamaican nationals have pleaded guilty to charges of smuggling drugs into the U.S., the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today.The two investigations were conducted by Operation Panama Express, which targets Colombian drug smuggling operations. Members of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, IRS and U.S. Coast Guard are part of the task force. Prosecutors call Gonzalez-Bejarano a "Colombian cocaine kingpin," and he was found guilty of the charges in October after a two-week jury trial.For more than 20 years, Gonzalez-Bejarano was the head of an organization that smuggled into the U.S. about 30,000 kilograms of cocaine that had a wholesale value of more than $500 million, according to testimony at the trial. U.S. Attorney's Office announced that five Jamaican nationals extradited to the U.S. in July each pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges.They are: Robroy Williams, nicknamed "Spy," 51; Norris Nembhard, known as "Dido," 53; Glenford Williams, also known as "Toe," 55; Vivian Dalley, nicknamed "Jungo," 49; and Herbert Henry, known as "Scary," 46.The five people pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana into the U.S., prosecutors say. Williams also pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine while aboard a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S., prosecutors say.According to court documents, Jamaica serves as a shipment point for cocaine from Colombia to the U.S. Williams and Nembhard made deals to accept delivery in Jamaica of cocaine shipments between 600 and 1,000 kilograms, prosecutors say.The cocaine was delivered by go-fast vessels, and small quantities from these shipments were sold in Jamaica with larger quantities going to the U.S. by air or sea, often through the Bahamas, prosecutors say.In Jamaica, the cocaine, along with large amounts of marijuana and hash oil, was stored in rural safe houses controlled by Williams and maintained by co-defendants Glenford Williams and Ivan Kenneth Huggins, who were sentenced in 2006.The go-fast boats landed at various Jamaican beaches, including Negril and Montego Bay, investigators say. Robroy Williams and Nembhard paid members of the Jamaican Constabulary Force, including co-defendant Herbert Henry, to provide security and transportation of the cocaine, prosecutors say.Couriers and money changers, including Dalley, returned the money made from the sale of cocaine to Colombia, prosecutors say.

Ivan Gonzalez-Bejarano Colombian drug lord was sentenced to life in prison

Ivan Gonzalez-Bejarano was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to life in prison on charges of conspiring to import and dist...

Johanne Axelexen Vinther Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison In Cambodia

Johanne Axelexen Vinther, 45, was arrested at a post office in the capital Phnom Penh last year as she tried to send 10,761 tablets containing codeine in packages to the U.S. and Canada.The drugs can be easily bought at street-side pharmacies throughout Phnom Penh, but are restricted in most Western countries.Chhay Kong, a judge at Phnom Penh Municipal Court, said Vinther was guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced her to 15 years in jail.The judge also ordered Vinther to pay a fine of $7,500.Chhay Kong also sentenced a 28-year-old son of Vinther in absentia to 15 years behind bars and ordered him to pay a fine of the same amount.Vinther denied she smuggled the drug, calling the verdict against her and her son "unjust." "I did not commit any crimes. They (judges) don't even know what codeine is. They compare it to heroin. It was never heroin. It is not a hard drug," she said after the court hearing."It is something for the pain - painkillers."Vinther said she would appeal against the verdict within a month and would even seek a "royal pardon" from Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni.Impoverished Cambodia is becoming an increasingly popular trafficking point for methamphetamines and heroin, particularly since neighboring Thailand toughened its stance against illegal drugs in 2002.However, arrests for violations involving pharmaceuticals are much less common.

Johanne Axelexen Vinther Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison In Cambodia

Johanne Axelexen Vinther, 45, was arrested at a post office in the capital Phnom Penh last year as she tried to send 10,761 tablets containi...

James Brown, 33,and Aurora Chavies, 27 were charged with possession of cocaine and for intent to distribute the cocaine

James Brown, 33, of South Amboy, and Aurora Chavies, 27, of Perth Amboy, were charged with possession of cocaine and for intent to distribut...

Esteban Garza, 33, was charged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with possession with intent to distribute 13.72 kilograms of cocaine

Esteban Garza, 33, was charged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with possession with intent to distribute 13.72 kilograms of cocaineThe arrest took place Sunday at 5:41 p.m. when Garza drove a 2001 Ford Explorer to an inspection booth. The suspect gave a negative declaration when asked if he had anything to declare and said that the vehicle belonged to a friend, the criminal complaint stated.The agency press release said Garza was sent to a secondary inspection station where other officers noticed possible tampering in an area behind the vehicle's backseat. Cisco, a narcotics detecting dog, was brought to the vehicle and confirmed the officers' suspicions by alerting them to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle, the release said. Field operations officers discovered 20 packages containing 13.72 kilograms. or over 30 pounds of cocaine valued at nearly $1million, authorities added. Garza was arrested by CBP and turned over to ICE for further investigation and prosecution.According to the criminal complaint, Garza was going to be paid $1,000 for transporting an unspecified amount of drugs into the U.S.

Esteban Garza, 33, was charged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with possession with intent to distribute 13.72 kilograms of cocaine

Esteban Garza, 33, was charged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers with possession with intent to distribute 13.72 kilograms of ...

Desmond W. Thompson, 39, has been charged with first degree drug trafficking in the first degree.

A Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper who made a traffic stop yesterday and took an alleged drug dealer off the streets.After speaking with the ...

Former England cricketer Chris Lewis was further detained by police after he appeared in court to be charged with attempted drug smuggling.

Former England cricketer Chris Lewis was further detained by police Wednesday after he appeared in court to be charged with attempted drug smuggling.The 40-year-old former allrounder was arrested last month at Gatwick Airport when nearly 9lb (4kg) of liquid cocaine, worth about 200,000 pounds ($295,910; €229,290), was found in his baggage hidden in fruit tins.Lewis, who played 32 tests and 53 one-day internationals in the 1990s, had flown in from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia with former amateur basketball player Chad Kirnon, who was also charged Wednesday. Lewis spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth during a brief appearance and will reappear at the same court on Jan. 21.Lewis had a low batting average of 23 and retired from county cricket in 2000 because of a persistent hip injury after spells with Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Surrey.He played one match last season for Surrey's Twenty20 team but he scored just two runs and conceded 29 runs off two overs. His attempted comeback then ended because of injury.

Former England cricketer Chris Lewis was further detained by police after he appeared in court to be charged with attempted drug smuggling.

Former England cricketer Chris Lewis was further detained by police Wednesday after he appeared in court to be charged with attempted drug s...

Axe Killer suspected of killing eight people

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNDqmyeIq8R_xIX4XENQ79tBAc-10847kYPXbdnHnlSDwtNqd4RRYUtj2FsBwNLB0XdjQXseERZtL6flxPDZSmb84PsA1EIbLu6DR3TK41PuObh5ZnkuDxZek48vaPth8_ZIghX4vm8E/s1600-h/police.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290074999922382482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNDqmyeIq8R_xIX4XENQ79tBAc-10847kYPXbdnHnlSDwtNqd4RRYUtj2FsBwNLB0XdjQXseERZtL6flxPDZSmb84PsA1EIbLu6DR3TK41PuObh5ZnkuDxZek48vaPth8_ZIghX4vm8E/s400/police.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" /></a> Police searched Xiong’s junkyard and found six more bodies as well as blood-tainted axes and hammThe bodies of the three men and three women were identified as employees at Xiong’s junkyard. They were all natives of Luoyang town, aged from 45 to 69.A neighbor of Xiong said Xiong divorced his wife three months ago hoping to marry Zhu. “After Zhu turned him down, Xiong wanted to make up with his wife but she too rejected him.” Other people in the town confirmed the story, said Wan Xuebin, public security chief of Suizhou. “But no one could explain why Xiong might have killed the junkyard workers.” Zhu’s husband died many years ago and her son and daughter-in-law were working away from home. Police in central China seized a man suspected of killing eight people, including a 2-year-old boy who was slain with an axe, state media reported Sunday.The official Xinhua News Agency said authorities nabbed 35-year-old junk collector Xiong Zhenlin on Sunday in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.The report said Xiong confessed to police that he had killed eight people but did not say if he had been arrested or charged.Xiong is accused of killing the boy, Zou Chuanshuo, and the child's grandmother Zhu Deqing, 43, last Sunday as well as six others.Police were still investigating the motive behind the killings, but the report said neighbors told police that Xiong wanted to marry Zhu — a widow — but she turned him down.The bodies of the boy and grandmother were found Monday in their home in Luoyang in Hubei province with head wounds that suggested the killer used an ax, Xinhua said.Police discovered six other bodies — three men and three women — after searching Xiong's junkyard Monday. The six, between the ages of 45 and 69, were employees at his salvage operation but it wasn't clear when they had been killed. They found bloodstained axes and hammers on the premises.Reports of violent crime are relatively rare in China, where private gun ownership is virtually banned, although there have been scattered cases of revenge attacks. Police in central China’s Hubei Province said Sunday they had seized a man who was suspected to have killed eight people, including a two-year-old boy, last week. A resident in the provincial capital Wuhan called police at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, saying he had spotted a man who resembled Xiong Zhenlin, a suspect hunted by police. Xiong, 35, was listed as the most wanted suspect by police after the brutal killings last Sunday night in Suizhou City. Two police officers found the man sitting at a junk collection station in Jianghan District at 11:18 a.m.. He tried to escape at the sight of the policemen but was seized and taken to the police station, where he confessed he was Xiong Zhenlin. Xiong told police he killed eight people in Luoyang Town last Sunday night and fled to Hainan Province in the south the next day. He had just arrived in Wuhan when police caught him. Xiong was handed over to police authorities in Suizhou Sunday aftern.Police are yet to find out his motive behind the killings. Zou Chuanshuo, a 2.5-year-old boy, and his grandmother, widow Zhu Deqing, 43, were found dead in their home in Luoyang town of Suizhou City last Monday morning. The wounds on their heads suggested the attacker was armed with an axe, and they had died after midnight, said a spokesman with Suizhou public security department. Investigators named Xiong Zhenlin, a local junk collector, as a suspect. Xiong’s mother called police early Monday saying he was nowhere to be found.

Axe Killer suspected of killing eight people

Police searched Xiong’s junkyard and found six more bodies as well as blood-tainted axes and hammThe bodies of the three men and three women...

Maytas Infra and Machilipatnam sea port projects and Maytas Properties, Nipuna Services, Knowledge Dynamics, accounts siezed

officials of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in coordination with Registrar of Companies seized documents from Information Technology major Satyam Computer Services, its former chairman B Ramalinga Raju agreed to appear before the regulatory authorities investigating into Rs 7,800-crore fraud.Mr Raju's lawyer Bharat Kumar, who appeared before the SEBI in response to the notice served by the team, sought time till 1600 hrs tomorrow to appear before it; citing the crucial Board meeting in which Mr Raju is to attend in the morning.The SEBI officals along with the RoC officials went to the office of Satyam and seized the documents from its premises and the record office of the company, according to official sources. The regulatory bodies were also examining the accounts of eight sister concerns of the IT major in the wake of Raju admitting to manipulating the accounts. The companies being examined, included the Maytas Infra which had bagged the Metrorail and Machilipatnam sea port projects and Maytas Properties, Nipuna Services, Knowledge Dynamics, Nitor Global Solutions, CA satyam ASP and Satyam Venture Engineering Services.

Maytas Infra and Machilipatnam sea port projects and Maytas Properties, Nipuna Services, Knowledge Dynamics, accounts siezed

officials of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in coordination with Registrar of Companies seized documents from Information Tec...

Sterling Airways, 700 passengers have been left stranded at London's Gatwick airport

Icelandic-owned airline bankrupt the situation," the spokeswoman Up to 700 passengers have been added. 'Impossible' "Over a three left stranded at London's Gatwick to four weeks period, the whole airport after an Icelandic-owned [Icelandic] financial system airline said it would file for melted down, and that resulted in bankruptcy. Sterling Airways, our shareholder being unable to which is based in Danish capital continue his support to the Copenhagen, blamed the Icelandic company," Sterling said in a financial collapse for making its statement on its website. owner unable to continue funding. "Negotiations have been conducted All Sterling flights have been with several potential investors, cancelled, including services but it was impossible to make from Gatwick to Copenhagen and ends meet." Sterling is just the Stockholm. The budget airline was latest airline to end operations owned by Iceland's Northern in recent months. Others have Travel Holdings. Sterling also included XL Airways and Zoom.

Sterling Airways, 700 passengers have been left stranded at London's Gatwick airport

Icelandic-owned airline bankrupt the situation," the spokeswoman Up to 700 passengers have been added. 'Impossible' "Over ...

Norway and Sweden, International drug smuggling ring has been busted

International drug smuggling ring has been busted in an operation involving police in Norway and Sweden. More three quarters of a tonne of narcotics has been seized and 30 people are in detention in the two countries.During the late summer of 2007 Police in Norway launched an investigation to bust open the narcotics network. "We noticed that several people had bought quantities of hash and imported them into the country and we noted that these people had close contacts in Sweden," said Reidar Brussgaard at Norway's criminal investigation department to news agency TT. In September of the same year police in Norway contacted their Swedish colleagues who began surveillance of the suspects on visits to Sweden. Swedish police were therefore able to witness the collection of a large quantity of hash from Solvalla outside of Stockholm. The Norwegian-registered car was later stopped at Norwegian customs and around 170 kilograms of cannabis was seized. After the seizure the police operation, which Norwegian police had named "Happy fish", continued and expanded to involve in police in the Netherlands.Stefan Erlandsson at the Swedish National Investigation Department, explained that the international police cooperation had been crucial to cracking the network.Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch and Moroccan citizens are among the suspects detained. Several of them have been in work and have on the surface, appeared to live regular lives. Police now claim to have exposed several links of the network."We have got the whole chain and have managed to get at the principal figures," Erlandsson said. According to the police the narcotics have been smuggled from Morocco to Holland and then on to Sweden and Norway. The ring have used legal means to transport the goods, such as flower shipments used to conceal the drugs.One drug seizure by Norwegian police also netted a number of weapons and a large sum of money."There was around six million Norwegian kronor ($862,000) in cash," according to Reidar Bruusgaard. He confirms that Swedish and Norwegian police have managed to seize around 700 kilograms of cannabis and around 50 kilograms of amphetamine. A quantity of cocaine has also been seized. There are currently 30 people in detention in Norway and Sweden.

Norway and Sweden, International drug smuggling ring has been busted

International drug smuggling ring has been busted in an operation involving police in Norway and Sweden. More three quarters of a tonne of n...

Sam Taylor Nepal bureau chief of French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) has been detained by Kathmandu’s drug squad

British citizen Sam Taylor was detained from a restaurant in Thamel, the capital’s tourist hub, Friday by a police patrol.The Nepal bureau chief of French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) has been detained by Kathmandu’s drug squad on the suspicion of possessing drugs, police said.An official at the Sorukhutte police station that has jurisdiction over Thamel told IANS that Taylor has been kept under detention for further investigation.Taylor had taken charge in Nepal around three years ago. Prior to this, he had worked in Vietnam for German news agency DPA.Since the Maoists formed the government last year, Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam has called for an anti-sleaze crackdown in Thamel, known for its infamous massage parlours and dance bars that serve as a front for sex workers.Taylor’s detention comes after a high-profile drug arrest in Singapore last year.In July, Peter Lloyd, the New Delhi-based correspondent of Australian Broadcasting Corporation, was arrested in Singapore for alleged drugs possession while on vacation.

Sam Taylor Nepal bureau chief of French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) has been detained by Kathmandu’s drug squad

British citizen Sam Taylor was detained from a restaurant in Thamel, the capital’s tourist hub, Friday by a police patrol.The Nepal bureau c...

Gerald Moore Jr., who is charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, conspiracy to sell and deliver heroin

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wySxx6zVl3BmruBNShTpbuUyrDpm73dYSM44DXqutx8Q5dh1NSJA2MKyjffTliVXIewE8icoi0SWUNTGwnRA0bcW9YKuBkm8sHhQK7eKcexhT_msVfuiBpVuZvYzb-lK2tScm0205XI/s1600-h/bilde234.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289410300693712962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wySxx6zVl3BmruBNShTpbuUyrDpm73dYSM44DXqutx8Q5dh1NSJA2MKyjffTliVXIewE8icoi0SWUNTGwnRA0bcW9YKuBkm8sHhQK7eKcexhT_msVfuiBpVuZvYzb-lK2tScm0205XI/s400/bilde234.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 345px; height: 230px;" /></a> Gerald Moore Jr. (left) and Berthiah Long II were arrested in a residence where authorities seized heroin, marijuana and related supplies. New Hanover County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a local man and seized 54 bags of heroin, a handgun and the red star stamp they say he used to market his product from his home Thursday night.After a two-week undercover investigation, 10 deputies served a search warrant at 502 Angelfish Court at 6:30 p.m., according to Capt. David Ciamillo.Inside, deputies found the heroin and a .38-caliber revolver, Ciamillo said, as well as “saleable amounts” of marijuana and the glycine baggies, rubber bands and red star stamp used to package the heroin.The residence belonged to Gerald Moore Jr., who is charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, conspiracy to sell and deliver heroin, manufacturing of heroin, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of selling those controlled substances. Moore was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held under a $50,000 secured bond.Berthiah Long II was also in the dwelling and is charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, conspiracy to sell and deliver heroin and possession of a firearm by a felon. He posted a bond of $15,000 after the arrest.Ciamillo said the investigation was part of a crackdown by the Sheriff’s Office on heroin distribution in New Hanover County. “We are doing everything humanly possible to curb this problem,” Ciamillo said.

Gerald Moore Jr., who is charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin, conspiracy to sell and deliver heroin

Gerald Moore Jr. (left) and Berthiah Long II were arrested in a residence where authorities seized heroin, marijuana and related supplies. N...

Eladio Valadez has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trying to smuggle 182 pounds of marijuana across the Sarita checkpoint

It took a jury about half an hour Wednesday to reach a guilty verdict against Eladio Valadez in the 105th District Court in Kingsville.The 5...

Ling Yiu-kay, 55, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs, one of which involved the minor.

In sentencing, High Court Judge Judianna Barnes Wai-ling said though Ling was not the mastermind of the drug trafficking scheme, the case was aggravated by the fact that a child was used .The judge also said that Ling committed the offense when he was on bail for another drug offense, and that most of his 15 previous convictions were drug-related.The Primary 4 girl is now in the custody of Po Leung Kuk. Her 50-year- old mother was once charged with ill- treatment, a count later dropped because of a lack of evidence.The court had heard that Ling was introduced to the girl's mother by a friend. It was alleged the mother instructed her to travel to Shenzhen on her own to collect a "gift," even though the girl said she was reluctant to do so. Immigration records showed that from July 2007, Ling and the girl traveled together to and from Shenzhen more than 40 times. The girl traveled alone to the Lo Wu checkpoint to collect the heroin and midazolam tablets and took them back to Hong Kong in her rucksack.

Ling Yiu-kay, 55, pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs, one of which involved the minor.

In sentencing, High Court Judge Judianna Barnes Wai-ling said though Ling was not the mastermind of the drug trafficking scheme, the case wa...

Rex Pelote Sr., a leader of a local narcotics ring, pleaded guilty to a federal drug-trafficking charge.

Rex Pelote Sr., a leader of a local narcotics ring, pleaded guilty to a federal drug-trafficking charge. Pelote Sr., 44, lived on the 800 block of 21 Street NE, pled guilty to “conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.” His guilty plea was entered in U.S. District Court on Tuesday.Pelote, according to the release, “led a heroin distribution ring that operated in the Langston Terrace” housing project. Pelote’s “lieutenant,” Edward T. “Bootsy” Farley, 47, also entered a guilty plea on the conspiracy charge.The release goes on to state that four of Pelote’s street-level dealers also pled guilty to a conspiracy charge: Charles “Black” McRae, 57, Gerald “Orleans” Anderson, 40, Dannie “Smiley” Jones, 54, and Cornelius “Chuck” Farley, 40.The defendants will be sentenced on March 18, 2009. Pelote and Farley face sentences of 17 years and 15 years.“According to the evidence the government would have presented at trial, between at least April 2007 and April 2008, Pelote controlled an organization that was responsible for smuggling heroin into the District of Columbia, processing and packaging that heroin, and selling it in Langston Terrace, NE,” the release states. “Edward Farley assisted Pelote in distributing the drugs to various runners for street-level distribution.”Evidence recovered in various stash house included secret drug containers (”false-bottom cans”), hundreds of small, empty ziplock bags, thousands in cash, and “numerous bags of heroin.”The U.S. Attorney’s Office notes that law enforcement was prepared to present audio and video evidence of multiple drug buys from various members of the conspiracy. “A court-ordered wiretap revealed telephone conversations between Pelote and his co-conspirators in which they coordinated their extensive

Rex Pelote Sr., a leader of a local narcotics ring, pleaded guilty to a federal drug-trafficking charge.

Rex Pelote Sr., a leader of a local narcotics ring, pleaded guilty to a federal drug-trafficking charge. Pelote Sr., 44, lived on the 800 bl...

David Trejo was sentenced to 60 years

David Trejo was sentenced to 60 years by Circuit Judge Samac Richardson for possession of more than 2 kilos of cocaine with a street value of more than $50,000. Trejo was sentenced as a subsequent drug offender and also as a habitual offender, meaning he must serve the complete 60-year sentence."Cocaine is one of the most dangerous and most addictive drugs sold on our streets," said Guest. "Those who supply these drugs are some of the worst offenders because of the negative impact that drugs have on our society. Drugs are at the root of many of the crimes that we see in the district attorney's office, so I am proud that we were able to remove a drug dealer from our society for six decades."During a routine traffic stop, a Madison County sheriff's deputy asked Trejo for his license, noticing that Trejo and his passenger were acting nervous. The deputy also noticed a strong odor of air freshener.The deputy went back to his car and called in the driver's license number and learned that Trejo had previously been arrested for possession of marijuana and also for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. He then requested a search of the car, which Trejo denied.The deputy advised both Trejo and his passenger that he would use a drug dog and that both would have to exit the vehicle. When the deputy approached the passenger, she turned away from him. The deputy then asked her to turn in his direction, and when she did, the deputy saw what was later determined to be several bricks of cocaine under her shirt. At the scene, Trejo told the deputy that the cocaine was his.

David Trejo was sentenced to 60 years

David Trejo was sentenced to 60 years by Circuit Judge Samac Richardson for possession of more than 2 kilos of cocaine with a street value o...

Ronald E. Fusko,and Dallas E. Abbott seized an undisclosed amount of crack cocaine from the men and charged each with cocaine possession

Ronald E. Fusko, 48, of 2230 Sixth St. SW, and Dallas E. Abbott, 47, of 2316 Gridley Ave. NE, were arrested at 7:17 p.m. Friday at Shroyer A...

Myron Brown, charged with possession of heroin and marijuana, intent to distribute

Myron Brown, 25, was lodged in the Atlantic County Jail in lieu of $125,000 bail. He is charged with possession of heroin and marijuana, int...

Jose Burgos charged with trafficking cocaine and possession of a Class A substance with intent to distribute.

Jose Burgos charged with trafficking cocaine and possession of a Class A substance with intent to distribute.Springfield police said they fo...

Chijioke Stephen Obioha convicted and sentenced to death.

20-year-old Ghanaian has been sentenced to death in Singapore for trafficking 2.6kg of cannabis.The High Court convicted and sentenced Chijioke Stephen Obioha on Tuesday after a 21-day trial held last year, it said.Under Singapore's tough anti-drug laws, the death penalty is mandatory for anyone caught trafficking more than 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine or 500 grams of cannabis.The death penalty is carried out by hanging.Narcotics officers arrested Obioha in April 2007 following a surveillance operation. He had come to Singapore in 2005 to try out for a football club, the report said.He was not hired but remained in the city-state working as a middle man for electronics goods dealers. His immigration pass expired in January 2007.Human rights groups have strongly urged Singapore to abolish the death penalty, but the government maintains that it plays a key role in keeping crime down and is a strong deterrent to organised crime gangs.In December 2004 Singapore hanged a 25-year-old Australian drug runner Nguyen Tuong Van, despite appeals for clemency by then Prime Minister John Howard.Two convicted African drug traffickers were put to death in 2007 after their appeals for clemency were turned down and despite protests from the United Nations and rights activists

Chijioke Stephen Obioha convicted and sentenced to death.

20-year-old Ghanaian has been sentenced to death in Singapore for trafficking 2.6kg of cannabis.The High Court convicted and sentenced Chiji...