Drug Lords
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The verdict was delivered by a jury in the Southern District of Florida before Judge James Cohn.
In Knowles first trial in Florida in November, there was a hung jury and a retrial was ordered.
The retrial lasted about a week with closing arguments wrapping up Monday afternoon.
Last night, Charge dAffaires at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Dr. Brent Hardt, said U.S. officials were “very pleased” with the verdict.
“Knowles is certainly one of the most prominent Bahamian drug traffickers ever extradited, and hes among the most noteworthy of international skilled traffickers ever extradited to face charges in the United States, and I think the conviction is a testimony to the outstanding law enforcement cooperation that we have with The Bahamas,” Dr. Hardt said.
“Special tribute to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Drug Enforcement Unit in particular, and our own outstanding DEA officers who have been engaged in this case for a long time.”
Dr. Hardt said the verdict sends a strong message.
“And I think it really shows that anyone who engages in illegal narcotics trafficking – which is really a terrible scourge for the people of your country and our country – will face justice and so, all in all, its a great day for law enforcement authorities for both of our countries,” he said.
Knowles was first indicted on May 25, 2000 by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida for smuggling cocaine. The grand jury returned a separate indictment on December 8, 2000 on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, conspiracy to import cocaine and marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and importation of cocaine and marijuana.
In 2002, US President George W. Bush named him on a list of drug kingpins under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpins Designation Act.
Bahamian authorities extradited Knowles in August 2006 after he spent six years at Her Majestys Prison fighting extradition.
US authorities say Knowles participated in a conspiracy between 1995 and 1996 to import several thousand kilograms of cocaine into the United States using “go fast” vessels.
The indictment against him sought the forfeiture of nineteen million five-hundred thousand dollars, which US authorities said represents money received in exchange for and used to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances.
US authorities say Knowles and his co-conspirators used various routes in the Caribbean to facilitate their importation scheme.
Knowles Bahamian attorney, Roger Minnis, had expressed optimism that