MONTEGO BAY, St James — A Dutchman who allegedly tried to smuggle $28.3 million worth of cocaine through the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, will have to adjust to the confines of the Freeport lock-up.

Patrick Anthony Crawford, a 44-year-old carpenter/construction worker of Rotterdam, Holland, is charged with possession of, dealing in, attempting to export and conspiracy to export 13.5 pounds of cocaine.

When the matter came before the St James Parish Court on Monday the defendant’s lawyer Henry McCurdy refrained from requesting bail on behalf of his client. In a previous court hearing on May 20, the lawyer opted not to pursue bail, citing his client’s lack of Jamaican citizenship and absence of connections to the country.

It was also disclosed that the prosecution was currently awaiting a forensic certificate which has been missing from the case file since May.

The progress of Crawford’s case has been hampered not only by the incomplete case file but also because of the defendant’s medical issues. At a prior court appearance on June 10, it was communicated to the court that Crawford was suffering from a toothache and various other challenges that required medical intervention. During that court session, Crawford voiced his grievances to the presiding judge, Kaysha Grant-Pryce, explaining that his pleas to the police for medical help and for his cell to be cleaned had been ignored. On another occasion, he was not brought to court but the court provided no explanation.

Crawford was not present in court during the last mention of his case on June 24 because he had been hospitalised that morning just before his scheduled court appearance.

Parish judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton, who presided over the case on Monday, set the matter for mention on July 24 and remanded him into police custody.

According to the allegations, on May 9 about 5:00 pm, Crawford was in a queue waiting to be checked in on a TUI flight destined for Brussels, Belgium, when he was questioned and his luggage inspected.

During the search of his carry-on luggage, four rectangular packages were discovered in two hidden compartments made of carbon paper and transparent plastic. These packages allegedly contained a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine.

A subsequent search of his checked baggage also revealed two hidden compartments containing four packages similar in appearance and content to those found in his carry-on luggage.

He was arrested and charged.