Drug trafficking accused Ghalee Khan, who was busted in the US last November and later charged with jumping bail, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday on a drug charge.
Khan, 31, of 198 Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt is accused of supplying a convicted prisoner with cocaine and was remanded to prison by Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of trafficking in narcotics when it was read to him.
It is alleged that on October 23, 2008 at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, Khan had in his possession 3 kilos, 408 grammes of cocaine to supply to convicted prisoner Orlando Dwayne Humphrey also known as Dwayne Ifill.
Attorney-at-law Glenn Hanoman represented Khan and made an application for reasonable bail to be granted. Hanoman told the court that Khan has no antecedents and he will return to court for his trial.
The attorney’s application was denied by Magistrate Octive-Hamilton. The matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court where Khan will appear on July 10.
A US court issued arrest warrants for Khan, a Guyanese businessman and promoter, and his alleged co-conspirator Danvor Griffith after they failed to show up for their court hearing after being granted bail
In early March, the prosecutors in their case said they would present a superseding indictment asking for the forfeiture of their bail. The two men, who were arrested last November, failed to make their court appearances after Justice Ramon E. Reyes granted them bail. Khan was granted bail in the sum of US$200,000 and while Griffith’s bail was US$250,000.
According to the bail jumping charge, the two, having been released on bail “…knowingly and intentionally failed to appear before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York as required by the conditions of [their] release…” It was stated that the two are charged with offences punishable by imprisonment of 15 years or more.
Khan and Griffith were jointly charged with conspiracy to import cocaine, importation of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Khan was separately charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute while Griffith was charged with attempted possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
One of the conditions of them being granted bail was that they were not to make contact with each other.
They had not been seen or heard from since and their attorneys and relatives have told authorities they do not know where they are.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that Khan has been in police custody since last Wednesday. The man, sources said, was apprehended in Georgetown and had entered Guyana on June 30.
Meanwhile with regard to the US drug charge, Khan and Griffith were reportedly tracked after leaving Guyana but were allowed to leave the John. F. Kennedy airport to make the drop before they were busted. Khan was under surveillance as he travelled on a flight from Trinidad to the US. Court records had indicated that after Khan arrived in the US, federal agents detected cocaine stashed in the rails and handles of his suitcase but allowed him to leave the airport to make the delivery.
