By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
FOUR Haitian nationals accused of importing more than $500,000 worth of cocaine and marijuana into The Bahamas near Norman’s Cay, Exuma, last week were denied bail.
Prosecutors allege Mike Presume, 39, Jerry Mezidor, 35, Claude Jean, 49, and Rene Joseph, 49, were aboard a white vessel when they were found with 26lbs of cocaine and 21lbs of marijuana at sea around 8am on July 27.
Police and Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers allegedly found the drugs in backpacks while searching the vessel.
The cocaine has an estimated street value of $520,000, while the marijuana is valued at $21,000.
The men were each charged with two counts of possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply, importation of dangerous drugs and conspiracy to import dangerous drugs.
With the assistance of a Creole interpreter, the four accused pleaded not guilty to all charges before Senior Magistrate Raquel Whyms.
Inspector 2257 Wilkinson, the prosecutor, objected to bail, citing the defendants’ lack of status in the country and the risk that they could flee.
Magistrate Whyms denied bail and remanded the men to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
Their trial is scheduled to begin on December 9.bail over $541k drug bust
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