Extradition trial of Trinidadian wanted in US set for May

EXTRADITION proceedings for a man arrested last year by US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers and police on suspicion of smuggling heroin and cocaine into that country will begin in May.

On February 29, acting Chief Magistrate Christine Charles set the matter for trial for May 23, 24 and 27, as the defence made no application challenging the authority given to her to proceed with it.

In January, then-acting Chief Magistrate Adrian Darmanie adjourned the extradition hearing for Shurlan Guppy to give his attorneys time to respond to submissions on an error on a document, which was eventually corrected, and which was pivotal to giving the local court the authority to proceed.

The error concerned a date on the document, which was unrecognisable. An explanation was provided and the error corrected.

However, Guppy’s attorneys, Wayne Sturge and Mario Merritt, wanted time to respond after seeing the explanation.

On Thursday, Charles was told there was no application on the application to proceed (ATP) filed by the defence. She then set the dates for the trial.

Guppy, 47, is facing 11 charges of heroin and cocaine trafficking in the US.

He also faces local charges of possessing a firearm, ammunition, and cocaine. Guppy has also been denied bail on those charges.

The charges stemmed from items purportedly discovered at his rented home at Ascot Road, Goodwood Park, Westmoorings, and his Jeep Rubicon.

Guppy was arrested on September 26, 2023, at Ascot Road.

In the extradition proceedings, the US Government, as the requesting state, is represented by Ravi Rajcoomar, SC, Netram Kowlesar, Radon Dalrymple-Watts, and the director of the Central Authority in the Office of the Attorney General, Graeme McClean.