Christopher Thomas, STAR Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Two British nationals, who allegedly tried to smuggle liquid cocaine out of Jamaica, had their bails extended when they appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, as the forensic certificate was not ready.

Twenty-eight-year-old sales assistant Jaharie Silvera, of a Woodreen address, London, and his cousin, René Henriquez, a 26-year-old student of a Northumberland address, also in London, are charged with possession of, dealing in and attempting to export cocaine. They will return to court on September 25.

The allegations are that, on May 11, Silvera and Henriquez were intercepted at the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, making preparations to board a flight to England.

The men's suitcases were searched and a total of 15 bottles, containing a bluish-green liquid, believed to be cocaine, were found. Both were arrested and charged.

Yesterday, attorney-at-law Ernie Smith, who represented Silvera and Henriquez, complained about the tardiness of the forensic report, after the court was told the report was not ready.

"It is an accepted position that, when persons in these cases are of a foreign origin, all efforts are made to have the forensic certificate ready. But when I spoke to the analyst, I got the distinct impression that the certificate would not be ready for another six weeks," Smith told Resident Magistrate Vivienne Harris.

"What the court will do is to ask the prosecution to speak back to the analyst because, at the time the prosecutor spoke to the person, he did not know the men were citizens of a foreign country," RM Harris replied.

"Please return to court on September 25. We are trying to see if we can expedite (speed up) the analysis, so you can get a trial date," the magistrate the defendants.