Eldine Baptiste wrongly arrested in London

LONDON: Former West Indies fast bowler Eldine Baptiste has been released from custody after tests revealed he did not import cocaine into Britain, a customs official said yesterday.

Baptiste, 43, was detained after arriving at Gatwick Airport near London on Sunday after a flight from his native Antigua. Initial tests on golf balls he was carrying showed traces of cocaine and he was arrested as part of regular procedures, a customs spokeswoman said. “More in-depth tests have shown that no cocaine was found,” said the spokeswoman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity. “Immediate arrangements are being made for his release.” Antigua and Barbuda High Commissioner, Sir Ronald Sanders, called it a major blunder. “I cannot tell you how angry I am when he has been made to suffer so,” Sanders told The Associated Press. “If the balls had not been retested, he could have gone to jail for 10 years.

“It’s totally unacceptable and I will urge him to do something about it.” Baptiste had appeared in Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with attempting to import cocaine and was remanded in custody. Baptiste was a member of the West Indies Test and one-day teams from 1983 to 1990. He won each of the ten Test matches he was involved in, taking 16 wickets at an average of 35.18 each. He is currently coach of South African domestic club KwaZulu-Natal.  He was in Antigua for the fourth West Indies Test against Australia. Baptiste is a candidate to succeed Gus Logie as West Indies coach. Baptiste has also played domestic cricket with South Africa’s Eastern Province, England’s Kent and Northamptonshire and the Leeward Islands in the West Indies.