Six men who were facing conspiracy to import cocaine to Dominica have had the charges withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecution.
This, after attorney Wayne Norde, representing three of the men, revealed in court on Monday that the substance found when the men were arrested was tested in Barbados and the results showed that it was not cocaine.
The men Jeremiah “Miah” Challenger of Bath Estate, Eustace Henry and Kenroy Paul of Glanvillia, Nigel Dublin of Stockfarm, Wendel Laurencine of St Lucia, and Omarie Mussington of St. Martin, were arrested on July 5, 2012 and charged for importing 30,000 grams of cocaine when they appeared in court the following day .
At the time, the police said the illegal substance was worth $750,000.
The men were granted bail.
When three of the men, Paul, Henry and Laurencine appeared in court on Monday they were informed that the charges had been withdrawn but were told that they should return to court on Tuesday, January 15, since they could face new charges.
The other three did not appear and the court was informed that Jeremiah and Dublin may not have been informed, while police believe that Mussington may have fled Dominica.
Alas..u mean these guys cocaine fanatics were fooled and all moneys spent were lost..i’m happy..but they can still be charged people,there is always charges for them..they soon will know..sot
Im not really big on conspiracy theories but i know for a fact that the police have on the spot drug testing kits, though the results may not be admisible as evidence they are acurate. givin that, if the drugs were in fact tested after the individuals were arrested, and tested positive (as cocaine) then the results from barbados should simple confirm that the substance was indeed cocaine. with that said, it’s either the police dropped the ball and simply assumed the substance was cocaine and did not test, or the sample sent for testing was not the substance originally confiscated. additionally, it is 100% possible that they were fooled into thinking that they were fooled into thinking they were buying coke when they were buying something else. it happens … drug dealing isn’t exactly the most honest form of the business thier is … everyone is out for that quick dollar
Well Well you all have roro in DA. someone switch the drugs only a fool will buy this story. Who knows if the drugs is not on the street of DA.
there is NO way, 4 seasoned (alleged) drug runners from d/ca n two other individuals are going to collect this amount of drugs and not test it before paying and loading it onto their vessel. because there would be hell to pay if the boss or bosses learned that the drugs are fake…. n most likely they the runners would be to blame.. something real fishy.. real real fishy..
are you serious, that is what Dominica has come to, that is one of the dumbest thing i’ve heard but again we live in Dominica. welcome dominicans, welcome to your new dominica (samll letter for this new dominica)
Now you understand why I left the CDPF. I saw too much rubbish which made me question the reasoning and purpose of doing certain things.
Granted, $750K is a lot of money. If the est. street value of the seizure had been between 50K >< 3K, no doubt charges would have sustained, and full prosecution carried out. Anytime illegal drug seizures top $100K, from any law enforce seizure, strange things start to happen. Not just in D/a but all over.
We're at war with something bigger…
Omari self making those man more guilty again. Poor fella don’t even know is flour noh. Pa zor. Look it! Woooooooy.
MY MAN NOT GOIN GIVIN MONEY FR CARNIVAL…..ALAS POOR ME SMH
somebody or some people get screwed.its either the dealers,the policemen,the judge,somebody is properly screwed
And what makes you all so sure that the drugs were tested in a lab when it reach in b/dos
so them man spend their money for nothing,lol, thinking is cocaine them other man ship to them,what some fools……….lmao
them men are real fools and paros of blood money..when you destroy gods children nothing good will happen to you
Am not surprised…seems like the dealer beat them at their own game. Alot of guys do it here all the time. Like someone says, they should have been sharged with intent to distribute
Wait!! Look at this guys…All you cannot see is bread the guys were going to bake? They look like bakers to me
So if it was not cocaine, then what was it? If it was not illegal then y are those men still in jail? Hmmmm! Well I see. I’m just waiting to hear them start to die or disappear one by one. I’m sure is somebody that them to collect or they were fooled cause the manufacture knows they’re just foolish. All now they maybe saying if I had know I would have said is toloma. Lmao. Well look it. Boy look some dummy in cans eh. Lord have mercy on us all. Fellas all u should just tell them police is toloma. Next time think fast so all u won’t get all u self stock. Lmao hahahahaahahahahah
What a joke.
DNO why are you not publishing my comments when I clearly dont call names or use bad words. Is it because I speak the truth or is it that whoever the editor is knows who I am and deliberately removes my comments?
Well toto good, beedee and johny and dog coming out same ting, that lady children not taking one day jail for drugs, alu fink granbay-glanvillians playing, doh worry they will hook again, bunch of lazy fellas, doh want to look for work to do and just spoling people children, not is not cocoain, is what? flour… zor bel la
Large up boowoo and nayee.. nothing beta than a 2nd chance
Ha, ha! Were these guys crooked, was there a clever substituion switch or just a plain lie? We don’t even have breathalyser kits so how is police going to test if drugs are real? Take a sniff perhaps?
3 keys not a taste? Basic on the job training man. Low grade cocaine will still give you that numbness
htf did that happen? Sounds fishy to me.
Man oh man, some of you people are truly ignorant. Allow me to enlighten you a bit:
Yes, cocaine presumptive field test kits are around 5 bucks a pop. No, they cannot be used as final proof in court to obtain a conviction. That testing must be done in a certified laboratory by certified chemists. The chain of custody of the evidence must be unimpeachable as well. If the lab says it ain’t righteous blow, then the actual possession case is, prima facie, gone. Conspiracy to import, intent to distribute and other charges having to do with intent can still stand and result in convictions.
As to whether or not the evidence was tampered with, that would have to be investigated and proven.
The question that occurs to me, a retired cop, is why did not the alleged perpetrators test the coke themselves with one of those cheap kits before they paid for it? Not too bright, eh?
This seems like a boringly routine drug case to me, but I’m sure all of you would much rather have fun conjuring up a dozen different goofball conspiracy theories to consider than look at the facts as presented. Given the shallow and rather vague nature of the reporting by the DNO, I really can’t blame you all that much, either.
who for them police to bail, they doesn’t never bail. they doe expect those boys to escape once they put them on bail?????
Was the evidence Switched ??
switch.switch.time to investigate
To all the smarties….on-the-spot drug testing is not admissible in court. It has to be done in a certified lab.
The reason is endless but the possibilities of tampering is greater when it is done on the spot than in the lab.
All you people just watch to much TV and think it making all you smart.
Hahahahahaha
Who tell you that Dorival John when you trying to be sacarstic without having knowledge of that which you speak. Aerosol on the spot or microcrystal tests are performed by the police when it is believed that the substance may be cocaine, or another illegal substance. Upon verification the violater is arrested and further test along with the sealed tests are sent for Forensic analysis. Now MR SMARTIE, I am not asking you I am telling you. I will not waste the bloggers time to get into techinical and scientific details here but that is no Smartie talk. You always know and never know. Have a damn seat
But the way all you talking all you making it sound as if on-the-spot testing is the final step before going to court.
Why didn’t u make yourself that clear in the beginning so we could all understand your point. Smart people speak once and people understand them right away. So sit down and stop watching TV.
Hahahahahahahahahahaahah
My girl that’s right, put mister straight tan, a set of empty barrels like to come on DNO and make a jaye noise…..BTW you sound like my kinda lady, you single nuh pal?
You that Dorival John there always know. Just like you thought Babs Dyer wasn’t Dominican and so many other irregular comments you keep making but want to call people smartie. Steupes
@ DJohn..pick your lips off the ground!!! the joke is on you. So what you mean when police use breathalyzers for sobriety test, these tests are not admissible in court? Have you ever seen in a test kit for cocaine in your life? or just running your fingers to pretend you know what you have no clue of? Sometimes it better to be thought of as a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt. You do this every time, with every topic give it a rest.
Dorival just concede and end it. Trust me Tri-State Beauty isn’t sitting down watching tv! You must learn to be humble when you are wrong! Don’t you dare try to disrespect my future wife! Show some respect and learn something.
Garcon Dormival have a damn seat they tell sakwais sort. Poor him who pretends to know but fail to see that he doesn’t know. Set down garçon and hush u Mowttt.
Agree 10000% the thing called common scense is not common amongst our Lovely Dominicans both at home and abroad there are exceptions in all cases, but some times i shudder in pain at the reasoning of my dear Dominican. But i still love them.
What on earth do your reporters do while in court? The charges have not been withdrawn up to this present hour. DNO you all need to stop that . You are misleading the public. Why don’t you get a reliable reporter come and sit in the Magistrate’s court and wait for the charges to actually be withdrawn before that story come up. It makes sense to remove this story.
The same was reported on the priest website so before you run your mouth engage your brain
Well the Police didn’t field test the substance to determine if it was positive for cocaine. Don’t the narcotics unit have field testing kits which they take with them on a drug rain or to execute a search warrant. Don’t the Government have a chemist on staff who could perform such test. I am very surprise that such simple task we must send it to Barbados to perform. Mr Commissioner you can purchased drug testing kits in NYC for four dollars. What is the chain of custody of the alleged drugs I suspect it was tampered with.
Why are people accusing the police of evidence tampering? The only thing wrong with this is that the police should be able in this day and age to do on the spot test sampling the kits are cheap. However the intent to traffic and supply narcotics still stand. On the flip side is clear these idiots were dupped which is niether the first nor the last and they should face the wrath of the law simple. Get hard work for you all to do and stop the illegal activities,jail them all the same for intent and stupidity.
They should be charged with “attempted” importation of the drugs. They did not know that it was not cocaine.
hmmmmmm. no wonder it has so many mad men on the streets in DCA…lord alone that know wht they smoking….
True man. I can imagine that.
Awa save the rest of it send it to the US let my boy on q take it though i would trust him with that.
THEY got to stop that and stop take money under table and free the drug men them..the judge and the attorny get pay…what next..
Questions:
(1) If the cocoaine so fake, then why did the man run?
(2) What was there if it was not cocaine?
(3) What was the purpose for all that so called fake cocaine?
Now they should give them fellers their flour to go home and cook!
no peoples this is no corruption, this is the power of the coco field peoples,
When dealing with dark powers,anything can happen
But God still sees
And their day must come
Evil shall not always prevail
Their day must come
And sudden destruction shall come upon them
I smell a cocaine RAT in one of the testing or arresting department.
In the police station they take the wrong sample, Mr Carbon needs to investigate that !!
Send it (the Cocaine) to be tested in Barbados? WOW!! I can’t believe that we can’t test for the presence of cocaine in a substance in Dominica.
Guys, the Cocaine & Crack Substance Test kit is only $4.95 each and an order of 10 or more cost $2.90 each. This is on the spot testing. That’s what Law Enforcement in the US uses.
Come on man!
No probs i support you, but i want you to do them the charity and purhase at least 20 please!!!!
Sometimes we as Dominicans must prove our patriotism, do like me and raise funds to sponsor things we deem necessary, no publicity is needed when you do a worthy cause… I do it all the time!!!
That won’t be CHARITY but an INSULT. this government just completed a 6 million dollar police station in Grandbay and is building a 27 million dollar luxury palace for the president and you want to talk about $2.95 item as a charity.
Come on Joe, be real. If our police can not spend
20 x $4.50 themselves it can only mean that they don’t want them or think they are not necessary.
on the spot testing does not constitute evidence that stands up in court. Did you not know that any lawyer worth his salt will have that chucked out of court? on the spot testing is a screening test. A certified laboratory has to be used and we do not have that in Dominica as yet.
Onething boy money talk and bull walk eh !
hahahahahaha!!!! is not no switch or no corruption. this just goes with the drug business. cant trust anyone and allu take jail!! too funny!!!! not feeling sorry for them, this is the life they chose for themselves. and sagga not going and continue cuz is maybe a druglord that fool them, where they have reinforcements to get back at the person??? hahahahahahahaha
But what kind of AS*NE** that nuh? No man, some body have to answer questions within the Police Force. Heads must roll! This “appears” to be a clear cut case of evidence tampering where someone “may” have sent a look alike substance to B/dos while replacing the real deal deal with something else in the evidence room. Plus, one of the guys “may” have left island mysteriously? Eh eh, dat doh good and someone has to go. My Commissioner I want answers and fast. We have sunken to the lowest level in Dominica.
Assertive, NOT Agressive!
this is strange and perhaps we need to amend our laws. I say this because in some of the other islands, you can still be charged even if you have “fake” cocaine but are seen to be trafficking the substance as if it were the real thing. This case speaks to intent. these men probably thought that they did in fact have cocaine. its similar to using a fake but realistic looking firearm to commit crime.
Having a fake firearm is not a crime. Using a fake firearm to rob a bank or person is a crime. So having a white powder which the cops think is cocaine is also not a crime.
They are still going to be charged fake or real is the intent that matters and this has been established. Re-read the article
Intent is much harder to prove. Beside the prosecution has to prove they intended to import a narcotic.
i re-read the article. perhaps your vision is impaired. the most that was said is that they should return to court as they COULD face new charges but the more serious charges have already been withdrawn.
All of a sudden is fake cocaine. They didn’t check the expiry date man, doh tell me man risking their lives to make backdoor for flour
Drugs is a dirty game !! BLOOD MONEY !!
Well some body going down am sorry for who have to pay the piper,hmmm there might be some murders in da this yr lord help my land more bad name for us.
Its not getting any better Lord?
joke.
Boi! Dominica have news wi! Everyday, there’s something to keep me locked onto DNO! LOL.
Most policemen thruogh out the world patrol with a simple testing drug kit,i dont understand why they have to send to test all the way to Barbados,and did the drug king pin’s pay off the person testing the substance?, or are these guy’s importing !! DEMO !!. Drug users,be careful what YOU SMOKE !! it could be a mixture of Rat poison. Those guy’s need to be charged anyway for that. THEY ARE CALLED DEMO KING PINS ..
Only if it was marijuana, they would be surely persecuted, but coke, somebody will slap the wrist. Sad what they have done to Dominica!
Legalize or decriminalize Marijuana to take these profits out of those hard drugs.
LMFAO ” false cocaine” LOLOLOL boy look kix
Strange things are happening eh! Where id the cocaine? was it switched in B/dos, or was it taken in Dominica or were the guys being fooled? Wayyyyyy…..lmao
I find that strange dominica upgrading in all sorts of different stuff this is the number one stuff u all need to find so from the time u arrest the ppl with drug u test the substance.
So the police charged the men because they we in possession of a white powdery substance? Shouldn’t they have tested the substance BEFORE they laid the charges?
What’s next? They are going to go down to the market and charge every vendor who sell arrowroot?
that strory big like the amount of coc
, who can believe that 
not me 
So what was it nuh? Transporting 30 kg of baby powder/Tolomah/Farine fwance at such great risk? What was it? and how comes we have to send a sample right Barbados for testing? I find that whole story well suspicious!
I doh see why we cannot equipt our drug squad with some narcotic reagent kits, they are fairly simple to obtain. Anytime you have to transport samples out of the country for testing you increase the risk of switching the substances, or any kind of interference. Is time the powers that be recognise that Dominica is catching up fast with the rest of the world (In the negative areas it seems). I also hope they didn’t collect samples from one packet, or portion of the stuff, the general rule with sampling is that you have to sample several ‘packages/areas’, because them fellas could well have set up dummies for insurance in case they get caught.
so
1) the guys were fooled and given the wrong powder
2) the guys tried to fool powder people with the wrong powder
3) the gugs wanted to play a prank on the police
4) the police switched the packages and kept the fake powder. they have mortgage to pay.
multiple choice, take your pick
lolllll dominica not easy nah
and that challenger boy at it again !! for sure , for sure he’s at it again.
How are you so sure that he is at it again? Do you know something that we dont know? If so why be quiet about it? If you are so concerned why dont you speak up…
I SMELL A RAT!! A BIG FAT RAT!! MMMMMMMM
NO NO NO I smell a RAT!!
was the stash secured and guarded properly to be certain that no swapping was done????
it is strange that before charges are being brought against individuals, a local test is usually being conducted by our analyst that usually gives a 100 percent proof of the drug. Why Barbados would prove other wise. Is it correct to say that who ever transported the samples may have switched packages.
It’s been known to happen before, that’s why they are so reluctant to install CCTV in Dominica’s major police station.
you got the nail on the head, Watch dog.
Not cocaine! Well that’s fishy. 30,000 grams of powder then. What are they doing with 30, 000 grams of powder? Either the lab messed up, evidence gone missing, or these guys were trafficking fake stuff and didn’t even know it. Either way it sounds pretty fishy to me.
Agree with you 100%. Something has gone terribly amiss
Now that is very interesting. Those guys putting their lives on the line, for something they themselves cannot identify or verify. The persons supplying it to them may have received their monies and they receieved in return “FLOUR”. They don’t even know that they did not have cocaine.
That is not the end though, if money was paid money or product has to be returned, THE SAGGA CONTINUES……
These men were fooled by the papas. they were given powder for cocaine.The papas draw the millions. well well well what next. I guess we have to wait and see.
Boy look corruption in Dominca.
What exactly is your point?