Colombian on heroin charge to be extradited to the US

A Colombian national who was held with over $1.5 million worth of heroin at a Port-of-Spain hotel earlier this week, is to be extradited to the United States of America to face charges of conspiring to traffick narcotics.

Jorge Luis Prieto, 36, was charged with possession of 2.22 kilos of heroin for the purpose of trafficking at Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, on Monday night. He was held after officers of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU) arrested him at a hotel and allegedly found the heroin in a black suitcase. Prieto is also charged with conspiring to traffick heroin in the United States which is an extraditable offence as defined by the Extradition Act of 1995. Prieto had originally appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls on Tuesday but was remanded overnight due to the unavailability of an interpreter.

When Prieto reappeared before Magistrate Mc Nicolls yesterday, the charges were translated to him by court interpreter Murchison Centeno Elie. Prieto was not called upon to plead as the charges were laid indictably. State attorney David West informed the magistrate that Prieto had one of two options. He could either consent to return to the United States to face the charges of conspiracy or fight the extradition proceedings in Trinidad. Prieto asked that he be allowed to discuss the matter with an attorney. Attorney Patrick Godson-Phillips was then appointed by the court to represent Prieto in the matter. Godson-Phillips told Prieto that if he agrees to be extradited to the United States, the Trinidad & Tobago Government will not proceed with the charge of heroin trafficking that was laid against him in Port-of-Spain.

Prieto asked if the United States Government will be able to proceed with the Port-of-Spain charge. He was informed that US officials would not be able to proceed with charges that were laid in Trinidad & Tobago. He would only be prosecuted on the conspiracy charge that was laid by US officials in the United States. Godson-Phillips advised Prieto to return to the United States. Prieto agreed and shook his hand. As Godson-Phillips informed the magistrate of his client’s decision, Prieto began to cry and wiped his eyes with his handkerchief. West then asked that the State be granted time until Monday to make proper arrangements for Prieto’s extradition.

Dressed in the same yellow T-shirt and blue jeans that he wore when he first appeared in court, Prieto requested that he be given his personal belongings that were in his suitcase. He said he needed a phone number from his wallet to contact his family. Magistrate Mc Nicolls informed Prieto that his attorney would make the formal requisitions for his belongings. He then remanded Prieto into custody until Monday and advised him of his right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail.