Samuel ‘Ninety’ Knowles, 50, the Bahamian national and alleged drug trafficker who was extradited from Jamaica in 2000, has been extradited to the United States to face narcotics charges in Miami, Florida.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida, Knowles is alleged to have been a participant from 1995 to 1996 in a conspiracy to import several thousand kilograms of cocaine into the United States, using go-fast boats.

The indictment against him also seeks the forfeiture of US$19.5 million which the US Attorney’s Office says represents money Knowles received in exchange for and used to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances.

Knowles is charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute it. Four other counts contained in the indictment are substantive importation and possession charges, each naming certain other defendants. If they are convicted of the conspiracy charges, the defendants would face a maximum statutory sentence of life imprisonment on each count, which they would also face if they are convicted of the substantive charges.

Knowles and his accused co-conspirators are alleged to have use various routes in the Caribbean, including Jamaica and the Bahamas, to facilitate their scheme of importing cocaine into South Florida.

The US government first requested Knowles’s extradition from the Bahamas in January 2001, but numerous appeals and other legal manoeuvres thwarted their efforts until July 24, 2006, when the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London ruled that he be extradited.

Knowles’s arraignment and pre-detention hearing are set for September 19 in the District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Knowles had lived in Jamaica for some time, and investigation of his alleged narcotics activities here and documents prepared by the now-defunct Special Intelligence Group, headed by Roderick ‘Jimmy’ McGregor, which operated for several weeks at Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston, purport to show linkages between international drug traffickers, some members of the Jamaica Constabulary, and private citizens. Those documents led to the wiretapping scandal in which it was alleged that the telephone calls of several high officials were illegally intercepted.

In May 31, 2002, the president of the United States branded Knowles a “foreign narcotics kingpin”, barring him, his companies and his operatives from access to the US financial system and all trade and transactions involving US companies and individuals.

The Kingpin Act provides for criminal penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for individuals and up to a US$10-million fine for entities for violations, as well as a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment and/or a US$5-million fine for officers, directors or agents of entities who knowingly participate in violations.

The Kingpin Act also provides for civil penalties of up to US$1 million.