By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A GROUP of 18 migrants burst into tears when they were told they were going to prison after being accused of smuggling 100lb of cocaine into The Bahamas while en route to the United States of America.
Fifteen migrants are from Ecuador, with the remaining three being Chinese nationals. All 18 were charged with three Bahamian boat operators.
Jessica Choco, 35, Lorena Gonza, 30, Blanca Tenezaca, 32, Richar Solano, 24, Adan Ocampo, 25, Shayanara Redrovan, 22, Norma Calle, 33, Sandra Mendieta, 20, Nelly Naranjo, 33, Nallely Redrovan, 20, Jorge Alvarez, 33, Karla Pizarro, 24, Jenny Benitez, 37, Maria Chamorro, 28, and a 16-year-old boy make up the Ecuadorian defendants.
The Chinese defendants are Yuanfeng Ding, 46, Keqiang Lin, 50, and a 13-year-old girl.
Twelve of the foreign nationals were women and six were male. They addressed Magistrate Samuel McKinney through an interpreter.
Alongside Bahamians Jonathan Gooding, 33, Lawpapito John Sands, 32, and Jason Rolle, 25, the defendants were all charged with possessing dangerous drugs intending to supply.
The three Bahamians faced further charges of conspiracy to export dangerous drugs and conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply.
According to police reports, shortly before 10pm on June 20, a collaborative effort between OPBAT, the Police Marine Unit, the DEU, the DEA, and the K-9 Unit intercepted a white 30ft Cutty Cabin in waters west of Saunders Beach.
Upon searching the Bahamian registered vessel, officers discovered 18 foreign nationals and three Bahamian men. Inside, officers uncovered 100lb of cocaine with an estimated street value of $800,000.
All 21 defendants pleaded not guilty.
Before bail consideration, Jessica Choco informed the court that she and the other migrants had paid $2,000 in cash to get from Nassau to Miami. She also said they had no idea about the drugs.
Upon hearing they had been denied bail because they had no status in the country, some foreign nationals began to cry. These defendants will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services while the underaged male will be held at the juvenile facility.
The three Bahamians were granted bail at $50,000. Despite the objections of their legal counsel, the defendants will be fitted with an electronic monitoring device which they claimed would jeopardise their livelihoods as sailors. Rolle and Sands are expected to sign in at Alice Town Police Station every Saturday by 6pm. Gooding is expected to sign in at Elizabeth Estates Police Station every Saturday by 6pm.
The trial is set to begin on August 14.
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