A US Grand Jury in New York has slapped Guyanese drug accused Raphael Christopher Douglas with six charges relating to trafficking in narcotics in that country.
According the charges, between January 1999 and May 27, 2004, Douglas, also known as ‘Chrissie’ or ‘Chris’ along with Fredrick Hawkesworth, Terrence Sugrim and others conspired to distribute a substance containing cocaine knowing and intending for it to be imported into the US. They are charged with violating Title 21, United States Code, Sections 959, 960, and 963.
Between the same dates the three allegedly conspired to distribute a substance containing five kilogrammes of cocaine or more, while on March 30, 2004 in Barbados, Douglas and Hawkesworth intended to distribute 500 grammes or more of cocaine knowing it was intended for the US.
Count four alleged that between January 1999 and May 27, 2004, the trio conspired to import five or more kilogrammes of cocaine into the US while on December 11, 2003 Douglas allegedly used a telephone in facilitating the commission of conspiracy to distribute cocaine in New York.
The last count alleged that on April 22, 2004, Douglas again used the telephone to conspire to traffic in narcotics.
Last month, an affidavit filed by US officials stated that they had taped conversations between Douglas and a US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informant and on two occasions when Douglas had promised to send cocaine to the US, empty black bags were sent. On both occasions these were pounced upon by DEA officials, the affidavit filed by DEA Special Agent Todd Meinken in support of an arrest warrant said. Douglas was extradited to the US from Trinidad where he had fled after an extradition request was made for him in Guyana
Douglas was one of five men who were being sought for trafficking between Guyana, Barbados, St Lucia and the US. The others named in an indictment in 2004 are Frederick Hawksworth, John Wayne Scantlebury, Sean Gaskin, and another Guyanese man, Terrence Sugrim. It is alleged that they committed the crimes between January 1999 and March 27, 2004 and they were indicted in absentia on two counts in the US District Court (District of Columbia) on March 3, 2003.
