BAIL was denied to the Trinidadian arrested earlier this week by police and agents of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on charges of trafficking heroin and cocaine into the United States.
On Friday, acting Chief Magistrate Adrian Darmanie gave his reasons for denying bail to Shurlan Jason Guppy, 47, who was arrested at Ascot Road, Goodwood Park, Westmoorings, on Tuesday after an hour-and-a-half-long virtual hearing.
Guppy was not present on the court link for the bail application made by his attorneys Wayne Sturge and Mario Merritt followed by a strenuous objection by Senior Counsel Ravi Rajcoomar, the lead attorney for the requesting state – the US – where he is wanted to face the 11 charges.
The matter has been adjourned to October 9.
Guppy was arrested on an extradition warrant issued by Darmanie on September 21. He also faces local charges of possession of a firearm, ammunition and cocaine, which were allegedly found at his Ascot Road, Westmoorings, rental and his Jeep Rubicon during a search on Tuesday.
However, Darmanie said he would be willing to consider arguments on electronic monitoring once Guppy’s attorneys make the necessary applications to the court.
Darmanie said the factors he took into consideration were that Guppy was known by different names, faced local charges and was wanted in the US on 11 counts for various drug offences.
He said what caused the “most disquiet” to the court was that after Guppy was deported from the US in 2010, after he was convicted in 2009 of identity theft, making use of a social security number and falsely representing himself as an American citizen, he illegally returned the US in 2012 using fraudulent documents which led to his being deported again in 2014.
The magistrate also agreed with the requesting state that the court had to consider TT’s international obligations under the mutual assistance treaty with the US and the duty of comity between nations in the fight against transnational crime.
Darmanie advised of Guppy’s right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail and noted that the requesting state was ready to file its statements as early as next week so the extradition committal proceedings “should move expeditiously.”
In his submissions, Rajcoomar said Guppy should be considered a flight risk. He also said Guppy had shown no source of income to support his lifestyle, since, in his interview with police, he said he was unemployed, as his clothing business was being relocated, yet he was a tenant at Ascot Road with a $25,000 monthly rent and owned an “impressive speedboat,” which participated in the recently held Great Race.
[caption id="attachment_1037726" align="alignnone" width="911"] The speed boat allegedly owned by Shurlan Guppy who is wanted in the US to face drug trafficking charges. The boat was searched by the police with Guppy's consent but nothing illegal was found. -[/caption]
He also said Guppy’s wife and four of his five children were in the US.
Rajcoomar also pointed to the number of addresses linked to Gupp
