Four to be extradited for heroin trafficking

Three men and a woman appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls charged with conspiring to import 10.38 kilos of heroin. Erving Torres and Carol Ruiz of Brooklyn New York, Mario Gueteirez Morales, Columbian national residing in California USA and Michael Jacques, originally of Luis Street Woodbrook, presently residing in New York were arrested in December, 2002 by officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU). They were allegedly attempting to board BWIA flights destined for the US with the narcotic which is reportedly valued at over five million TT dollars. The charge was laid by Sgt Mc Carthy. The four appeared on July 9  before Arima Magistrate Gail Gonzales for possession of the drug. DPP Geoffrey Henderson offered to have the charges against the four dropped on the condition that the accused agree to leave the country. Ruiz, Morales and Jaques, all represented by attorney Nathaniel King,  agreed to the extradition. David Alexander, defence attorney representing Torres, informed Newsday that his client was simply waiting to confirm certain arrangements with US authorities before he agreed to the extradition. Prosecutor David West of the office of the Attorney General made no objection to the submission. Ruiz wept loudly in the court and was told by Mc Nicolls, “there is nothing to cry about mam.” The four will reappear on July 16.