Extradition from Trinidad and Tobago to the United States—Doon and Hernandez

Ramesh Doon, a Trinidadian man wanted in the United States on allegations that he helped smuggle nearly one ton of cocaine into the United States, has been extradited from Trinidad and Tobago.^[1] An American, Gabriel Lee Hernandez, was also extradited with Mr. Doon.^[2] Both men arrived in Florida accompanied by US Marshals.^[3]

Mr. Doon is the fourth Trinidadian to be extradited to Fort Lauderdale to face charges of allegedly smuggling cocaine into the United States by hiding it in packages of cassava.^[4] The other three individuals—Ronald Rackal, Hafeez Mohammed, and Indaryartee Dwarika—have already been convicted in the plot and have received prison sentences ranging from 70 months to 21 years in prison.^[5]

We previously discussed Mr. Doon on January 9.

Mr. Hernandez, whose charges do not relate to Mr. Doon’s, was arrested at the end of April last year “after six kilos of heroin, valued at $5 million, were found in his suitcase.”^[6] He was attempting to board an American Airlines flight to Puerto Rico when he was apprehended; he was charged with possession of heroin and attempting to export the drug.^[7] The US “discovered that they wanted [Mr.] Hernandez so they brought extradition proceedings against him,” but he consented to extradition and is being sent to New York.^[8]

An individual can waive extradition proceedings by the terms of the extradition treaty between the US and Trinidad and Tobago. According to the treaty, “[if] the person sought consents to surrender to the Requesting State, the Requested State may surrender the person as expeditiously as possible without further proceedings.”^[9]

This standard is different than some other extradition treaties. For example, the treaty between the United States and Switzerland calls the waiver “Simplified Extradition” and the person sought must “irrevocably agree[] in writing to extradition” and be personally advised by the competent judicial authority of the right to formal extradition proceedings.^[10]

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[1] Francis Joseph, Cocaine in the Cassava, Newsday (Trinidad and Tobago), Feb. 25, 2006.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
[9] Extradition Treaty, Mar. 4, 1996, U.S.-Trin. & Tobago, art. 15, S. Treaty Doc. No. 105-21 (1999).
[10] Extradition Treaty, Nov. 14, 1990, U.S.-Switz., art. 18, S. Treaty Doc. No. 104-9 (1997).