Wednesday 23 June 2010

Jamaican 'drugs lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke arrested'


From BBC news reports
Police in Jamaica say they have arrested suspected drugs lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke on the outskirts of the capital, Kingston.

Jamaican media say he walked into a police station although Information Minister Daryl Vaz told the BBC he had been detained in a "police spot-check".

The Jamaican government wants to extradite Mr Coke to the US to face charges of drug and gun trafficking.

Attempts to capture him in May led to clashes in which scores of people died.

Mr Coke, 41, is accused of being the leader of the notorious Shower Posse, which US authorities say operates an international drugs and guns network.

The gang has also been blamed for numerous murders in Jamaica and the US.

Police said Mr Coke had been arrested in the Portmore area of St Catherine Parish, Reuters reported.

Tight security
Armed Jamaican police tried to seize Mr Coke in May The Jamaica Observer said Mr Coke had surrendered himself to police accompanied by the Rev Al Miller.

He was being held at Spanish Town police station which was surrounded by soldiers, the newspaper's website reported.

The Rev Miller, an evangelical preacher, reportedly facilitated the surrender of Mr Coke's brother, Leighton "Livity" Coke, earlier this month.

However, information minister Mr Vaz told the BBC's World Today programme: "Christopher 'Dudus' Coke was captured earlier this afternoon by the security forces in a police spot-check, and he was in the company of a pastor who has indicated that he was intending on taking him into the US embassy to waive his rights, to be extradited."

The operation to capture Mr Coke last month centred on his stronghold in Kingston's Tivoli Gardens.

More than 70 people were killed in gun battles between police and armed young men.

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