Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Reputed Bahamian drug kingpin extradited to US
09-09-2006

MIAMI, USA (Reuters): Reputed Bahamian drug lord Samuel Knowles has been extradited to Miami where he was first indicted six years ago for his alleged involvement in cocaine and marijuana smuggling, authorities said on Thursday.

In May 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush placed Knowles on a list of alleged traffickers sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.

Suspects named under the so-called Kingpin Act are deemed a threat to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States.

A statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida said Knowles is alleged to have conspired between 1995 and 1996 to import "several thousand kilograms of cocaine into the United States."

The indictment against Knowles seeks the forfeiture of $19.5 million, the statement said.

Alicia Valle, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office, said Knowles was quietly extradited from the Bahamas earlier this week.

During a brief court appearance on Thursday, a federal magistrate set a provisional bond for Knowles of $10 million, Valles said.

"All that means is that he's in jail, because he didn't make that kind of bond, until the pretrial detention hearing which is scheduled for Sept. 19," she said.