Khoy Frett and co-accused granted bail, travel documents seized
- Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Principal Crown Counsel Tiffany Scatliffe has maintained her initial objection regarding the travel documents of Khoy Frett, one of four men implicated in the courier-related drug bust.
In the Magistrate’s Court on June 5, Scatliffe said the investigations show that the vessel the men used was not properly registered, among other things, which she stated would be revealed later. According to Scatliffe, she was informed by the lead investigator that there was no entry stamp or US visa in Frett’s passport. However, Frett’s lawyer Stephen Daniels pointed out that his client is a US resident that has a green card and used that to travel.
The defendant’s green card was ordered to be surrendered.
The four men implicated in the May 18 drug bust all pleaded not guilty to the six charges that were laid against them on May 21 during their first appearance in the Magistrate’s Court. At that time Frett, and his co-accused Wilbert Donovan, Suruj Persaud and Gavin Richards, had the charges of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug, importation of a controlled drug, smuggling, unlawful possession of cannabis, being involved in smuggling, and failing to declare read to them.
The court was told by Scatliffe that intelligence on the matter was provided by US authorities. The Crown counsel said that on May 18, 2012 the RVIPF and the Customs, in a joint operation, which included surveillance of the Baugher’s Bay area, observed the accused men entering the Baugher’s Bay lagoon on a 34-foot white and blue open hull vessel. It was stated that the men were coming from St. John.
The police and Customs kept the vessel under surveillance and observed when the vessel docked at Baughers Bay and the accused men disembarked. It is alleged that the men removed several items from the vessel and placed them into a white vehicle bearing the logo of Khoy’s Mailing Services. It was stated that the defendant Richards was seen on the dock.
The police allegedly approached the men, identified themselves and informed of their observations. The men were asked if they had anything illegal, and Frett allegedly said “No, that he was running a mail service and don’t know what the customers have in their mail.”
The police allegedly asked Frett for his general Customs declaration and he said that he planned to travel on May 14 to the USVI, but because of some unforeseen circumstances he went on May 18 instead and used the declaration dated May 14. He also stated that a Customs officer was going to come and check his mail.
It was stated that the police allegedly found a brown box containing two white buckets with a vegetable substance suspected to be cannabis in them. The substance is said to weigh 2,520 grams, and has a street value of $25,000. It was also noted that a minor was in the vessel.
The other defendants told the officers that they work for Frett.
Defence Attorney Stephen Daniels, who is representing all of the men except Richard, told the court that the courier service is Frett’s only source of income and that he goes to St. John twice weekly and clears his mail at Baugher’s Bay.
Daniels told the court that the package in question was sealed with the invoice taped on the top of the box, and the consigner and consignee listed on it.
“What he does is take the invoice and the duty is paid; it is not his duty to go into the mail,” Daniels said, adding that it was the police who opened the package.
The lawyer stated that Persaud, for the last month, was the captain of the vessel, and along with Donovan, assisted Frett with his mail pickup, therefore, Daniels said that the seizing of his clients’ passport would be putting the business under stress.
Daniels also noted that some 50 packages were seized by the police, as well as the vehicle.
“The street value is only $25,000 so to put a cash component and deprive him of his livelihood… the Crown would have to prove that Mr. Frett knew it was narcotics,” the lawyer said.
Daniels asked the magistrate not to punish Frett more than he has already been punished, since Frett allegedly lost a lot of his customers.
In the end, Magistrate Stephens granted bail to Frett in the form of $25,000 cash and $25,000 signed. Donovan and Persaud were offered $40,000 bail signed with surety.
They are all to surrender their passports and report to the police station between and 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
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