An intelligence gathering network established by Jamaica, Britain, Canada, and the United States to fight trans-national crime is responsible for most, if not all of the evidence gathered against drug and arms traffickers, including what the US has submitted against Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) activist Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, according to intelligence sources.

The headquarters of Incomparable Enterprise on Spanish Town Road, Kingston. The company in which Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke is a director, was awarded over $100 million in contracts since the JLP took both local and central government in 2002 and 2007 respectively. (Contributed photo)

Sources say the all-inclusive intelligence network using electronic means to track down arms and drug traffickers operating in Jamaica, is part of a signed agreement among the four countries.  The agreement was signed several years ago.

The network, headquartered in Kingston, is aimed at breaking the neck of trans-national crime.  The  United States (US), Britain and Canada provide most of the resources, including wiretapping devices used by Jamaican and foreign members of the team.

According to intelligence sources, it was agreed that all four parties — Canada, the USA, Britain and Jamaica — would cooperate in the gathering and sharing of intelligence on the ‘Yardies’, most of whom are based in the UK and Canada and the Shower Posse that is based in the US.

Sunday Herald sources disclosed that the parties agreed that since most of the big players operate in the US where the laws are different from those in the other countries, that country would lead the extradition fight.

The arrest and conviction of several drug king pins in Britain, the US and Jamaica in recent times have been the result of the extensive work by the joint team, sources confirmed.   It is well documented that Jamaica has been a major trans-shipment port for cocaine from South America to the United States, and the country remains the largest supplier of ganja to the US.

Usurped the judiciary

Former national security minister Dr Peter Phillips has said that Jamaica has for many years worked with partners in the fight against trans-national crimes.  The former minister noted that Jamaica was a signatory to a memorandum among international partners that permits the sharing of intelligence, which has been used as evidence in their jurisdiction in drug and arms trafficking cases.

Dr Phillips was insistent that the issue raised by Prime Minister Golding that the evidence gathered by the US against Coke was illegal should be left to the court. Golding, in Parliament last week, Golding said that unless the US presents other evidence, his Government would not sign off on the extradition request.

“If I have to pay a political price for it, then I will,” he told parliament last week.

Golding’s former colleague, Abe Dabdoub, said the country should be reminded that when Golding left the JLP, separation of powers was his mantra.  By taking on the function of the court, Golding has usurped the role of the judiciary by having the executive in the form of the minister making decisions, which should be made by the judiciary.

“This shows how insincere Golding is,” posited Dabdoub, an attorney who led the constitutional fight to unseat JLP MPs who were citizens of other countries.

Green cards seized

It is not clear whether the denial of entry to two Jamaican nationals with green cards when they landed in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, on Monday night was linked to the perceived retaliation by the US for the Jamaican government’s delay in extraditing Dudus.  Both green cards were seized, in an action taken by Homeland Security, according to reports reaching the Sunday Herald.

One Jamaican voluntarily departed while the other was allegedly being held on the Maximum Security floor of the Dade County Jail, up to press time.  This follows the revocation of the visa of chairman of the state-run Urban Development Corporation over a week ago, Wayne Chen.

Jamaica’s reluctance to hand over an alleged crime boss seems to be straining relations with the US, which is questioning the Caribbean nation’s reliability as an ally against drug trafficking.

Both governments have been negotiating over Coke since the US requested his extradition in August 2009 to face arms and drug trafficking charges in New York.

The US Justice Department calls him one of the world’s most dangerous drug kingpins.

The State Department’s latest report suggested corruption could be holding up the extradition request.  It noted Coke has ties to the governing JLP and essentially controls the barricaded Tivoli Gardens neighbourhood in west Kingston, the home constituency of Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

Hinders anti-drug efforts

The International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which was made public recently, said the handling of the request has “called into question Kingston’s commitment to law enforcement cooperation with the US.”

The State Department report, which names Jamaica as a major transit point for South American cocaine, says the influence of gangs hinders the island’s own anti-drug efforts.  While police have successfully dismantled some organized crime groups, they have been unable to focus on some masterminds, the report stated.

“This is due to the fact that these leaders are afforded community and, in some cases, police and political protection,” the report stated.

With the American government’s frustration clearly growing, there are signs that are being interpreted that Washington has begun to retaliate.

David Rowe, a Jamaican-born lawyer residing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said signs of the deteriorating relationship include the fact that the US has not filled the vacant ambassador’s position in Kingston and reports that US visas belonging to top officials from the governing party have been revoked.

“Jamaica doesn’t have any options.  They receive a lot of bilateral aid.  Many Jamaicans have American visas,” he said.  “How could one extradition be worth the Jamaica-US relationship?” Rowe asked.