US deportee or not:

THE BIG question for the court to decide this morning is whether Troy Chin Kee Fat is a United States deportee or not. The police contend Chin kee Fat was deported from the United States, while his attorney Patrick Godson-Phillips says otherwise.

Chin Kee Fat, 33, appeared before Magistrate Lianne Lee Kim in the Port-of-Spain Fourth Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

He was first charged with possession of 88 grammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking at the Eastern Main Road, Petit Bourg on April 6. While he was in custody, the police executed a search warrant at upper Irving Street, Petit Bourg, on April 9 in search of arms and ammunition.

The police allegedly found 710 grammes of cocaine in a black plastic bag along with a black electronic scale. He was charged a second time with trafficking in cocaine. The charges were laid indictably and Chin Kee Fat was not called upon to plead.

Godson-Phillips asked for bail, but the court prosecutor, Sgt Harrilal, told the court that the police need to inquire from Interpol whether Chin Kee Fat had any previous convictions in the United States.

Harrilal said based on information, the accused may have been deported from the United States, but the arresting officer needs to check the information.

This got Godson-Phillips upset. He said his client had never been deported from the United States. “I know him a long time in Petit Bourg. He never left there, he was never deported from the United States. He has no previous convictions, there is nothing against him.” Several of the accused’s relatives were in court.

Lee Kim gave the police until today to check with Interpol before deciding if to grant bail.