Trinis held with ‘coke’ at Heathrow

TWO young Trinidadians, of Syrian-Lebanese parentage, were arrested at Heathrow International Airport in London with cocaine. Yesterday, they were denied bail when they appeared in court. The accused were identified as Raymond Habib and Peter Laquis, both said to be in their twenties. According to reports, they were held at Heathrow International Airport on March 22 after disembarking from BWIA flight 900 from Trinidad. They were stopped and when searched, they allegedly had cocaine in their possession.

They were charged by British authorities with customs evasion, contrary to the laws of the United Kingdom. Yesterday, they appeared at the Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court (located near Heathrow Airport) where an application was made for bail pending the hearing and determination of their case. But after hearing submissions, the magistrate denied bail and ordered both Habib and Laquis be kept in police custody until April 6. When contacted yesterday, Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to London Glenda Morean-Phillip, said she knew about the arrest of the Trinidadians. Morean-Phillip said when nationals of TT get into trouble, the Commission is informed. “Yes, I was informed of the arrest of these two youngsters. Yes, I know there was a bond hearing today, but I am still awaiting details,” the TT envoy informed Newsday.

Newsday also learned that last week, the family of the two youths had contacted Senior Counsel Desmond Allum, who was in England appearing with a large number of other attorneys in the death penalty appeal before the Privy Council. But Allum left for Trinidad yesterday, around the same time that Habib and Laquis were due to appear before the magistrate. A source told Newsday that Allum was contacted in London, but he made arrangements for a British attorney to represent the defendants at the bail hearing. The arrests of the Trinidadians are part of a large police operation in England, now on the lookout for terrorists. After disembarking from airlines, dogs sniff passengers on their way to the immigration lines. Other dogs are taken to the baggage areas to sniff for weapons, bombs and drugs.