DI JAMAICAN OBSERVER
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
THE United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said that Reggae artiste Buju Banton and two other men were arrested in an undercover operation in Florida that ran over four days and during which the deejay made an attempt to taste cocaine that they sought to buy from an undercover cop.
Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, along with Ian Thomas and James Mack, also called Spencer Clarke, were arrested last Thursday by federal authorities and charged with possession with intent to distribute five kilogrammes or more of cocaine.
Yesterday, the DEA released a criminal complaint signed by Special Agent Daniel McCaffrey who said that on December 8 he and agents from the DEA Tampa district office, as well as officers from the Sarasota Police Department received information from a confidential source (CS) that Buju Banton and associates “wanted to purchase kilogramme amounts of cocaine in the Sarasota area of the Middle District of Florida”.
The CS, McCaffrey said, made telephone contact with Myrie at 8:00 am on December 8 and Myrie agreed to meet with the confidential source later that day in Sarasota.
The meeting, which McCaffrey said was captured on audio recording equipment, took place at approximately 1:31 pm at the La Tropicana de Havana restaurant and was observed by other DEA officers.
According to McCaffrey, the confidential source “instructed Myrie and associates to follow the CS to an alternate location to continue negotiations about obtaining large amounts of cocaine”.
They then went to a Sarasota Police Department controlled undercover warehouse where Myrie and Thomas inspected the drugs in the presence of undercover police Sergeant Ken Castro.
That meeting, McCaffrey said, was captured on audio and video recording equipment.
Myrie and Thomas were shown a compartmentalised vehicle which contained 20 kilogrammes of cocaine.
“Thomas approached the undercover vehicle and after observing the hidden compartment, pulled one kilogramme of cocaine out of the vehicle and placed it on a nearby table for inspection,” the document stated.
“Thomas subsequently utilised a knife to cut open the noted kilogramme of cocaine and began to inspect, along with Myrie, the cocaine. Thomas subsequently handed the knife to Myrie who instantly wiped the blade of the knife with his finger and placed that finger in his mouth in what appeared to be an attempt to taste the cocaine,” the document stated.
The DEA said Myrie, the two other men and an unknown female were under surveillance after the DEA was informed a day before that they had made arrangements with the confidential source to buy the controlled substance.
Another meeting was arranged on December 9 at Applebee’s restaurant and was attended by Thomas and the CS. It was at that meeting, McCaffrey said, that Thomas informed the CS that the organisation he worked for wanted to first purchase five kilogrammes of cocaine. The CS met Mack outside the restaurant at the meeting as well.
The following day, before the deal was about to go down, the confidential source was fitted with audio and video recording equipment and followed by DEA agents to the undercover warehouse.
“Once inside the warehouse, Sergeant Castro, acting in an undercover capacity, observed Mack access a hidden compartment in the rear driver’s seat of the Honda sedan and pull out plastic bags which contained a large amount of US currency,” the document stated.
Mack is also accused of placing the wads of cash on a table before cutting open one kilogramme of cocaine which was among seven placed by the undercover agent to bait the purchase.
As he was about to inspect the drugs, the law enforcement officials signalled to others in hiding and Thomas and Mack were arrested without incident.
The agent reported that a handgun was found inside the Honda sedan which was being driven by Mack.
Buju Banton was arrested sometime later the same day at a location in South Florida.
He is tentatively scheduled to face the United States District Court in Tampa tomorrow.
He could be sentenced for up to 20 years if he is found guilty of the narcotics charge.
BUJU- MY TAKE
With all the news we have been reading online I have decided to give my take on what has happened. Somehow the emotion I feel isnt disappointement, my emotions went from anger to heartbreak and now I feel peaceful and ready to write who I need to write to see that everything goes fair for him. It has been brought to my understanding that the gay advocates who were planning on demonstrating outside the Grammy Awards if Buju had received his Award have declined to comment on this ordeal…Strange huh?
We on the outside can say and assume all the scenerios our mind can come up with and I will say what he did was wrong, it sure was. It doesnt make me love his music any less. Sometimes its the message and not the messenger and thats how we know for sure that God was really the force behind the message. For Buju its the message behind his music and I predict that this will make him more famous. People who didnt hear him before and who listen to some of his latest music will have no choice but to want to hear more… Its the message … not the messenger ..I see how hard they have tried to involve his views on homosexuality to tarnish his career… has it worked? NO.. Instead of it working God turned him into another kind of artist, he went from Dancehall to conscious Reggae, its the message and not the messenger and thats the reason why I will continue to listen to him. It has been written in the bible that when God has blessed you and given you certain responsibilites which enables you to lead and influence people, you should trod the narrow and straight path. If Buju says he worships JAH, that name represents God in his Highest form and if this is the case, God in his Highest form, is looking for the Highest form of respect and Honor from who calls upon him that way-
The devil is a liar and all the members of the Media who have written articles and tried to tarnish him more by mentioning his views on homosexuality … here is a part of the new testament 1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
So you can write about his view all you want and challenge him all you want… The man with the last word says the act is condemned… can you lock him up??
Buju will have my support and I will say it again, if he was involved in these dealings he should be punished , but in a fair way. It will not be the end of his career but the beginning. So we will see who really gets to have the last laugh-
BUJU MI CANNOT BELIEVE IT
Police: Buju Banton negotiated Fla. cocaine deal
(AP) – 46 minutes ago
MIAMI — Federal authorities say Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton attempted to buy cocaine from an undercover officer in Florida.
Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, has been in U.S. federal custody in Miami since Thursday. He faces a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents, Banton and two others contacted a police informant last week about buying cocaine in Sarasota. Drug Enforcement Administration agents say Banton negotiated the purchase and was observed inspecting cocaine offered by the undercover officer.
The other men were arrested Thursday when they allegedly attempted to buy the drugs.
An e-mail to Banton’s independent record label was not immediately returned Monday.
FROM MY SIDE MI HEAR SAY HE CONTACTED THE UNDERCOVER OFFICER AND NEGOTIATED THE DEAL..BUJU!
SEE DI KALLAPSAYSHAN YAH NOW… AYE SAH
By CURT ANDERSON (AP) – 15 minutes ago
MIAMI — Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton is facing charges that he attempted along with others to buy a large quantity of cocaine from an undercover law enforcement officer.
A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit says Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, traveled to Sarasota last week to make the purchase along with two others. The DEA was tipped off by a confidential informant who agreed to wear a recording device during the drug negotiation session.
Banton, 36, faces a charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. Banton was being held at Miami’s downtown detention center Monday pending transfer to Tampa, where the case is being prosecuted.
A bail hearing was set for Wednesday in Miami federal court. The attorney handling that for Banton didn’t immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.
According to the DEA affidavit, Banton contacted the confidential informant last Monday about a possible cocaine purchase. The next day, Banton and other men met with the informant at Sarasota’s La Tropicana de Havana restaurant, where the DEA and local police had set up surveillance.
Banton allegedly arrived at the meeting in his silver Land Rover with the license plate “Jah One,” according to the affidavit.
Eventually, the group went to a warehouse authorities had outfitted with audio and video recording devices to make the cocaine deal. An undercover police officer pulled out one brick of the 20-kilogram load, according to the DEA, and one of Banton’s associate’s sliced it open with a knife.
Banton, according to the affidavit, “instantly wiped the blade of that knife with his finger and placed that finger in his mouth in what appeared to be an attempt to taste the cocaine.” After two more meetings at local restaurants between the informant and Banton’s associates, authorities arrested the associates and then took Banton into custody Thursday in Miami.
The husky-voiced Banton has been a major star in his native Jamaica since the early 1990s with brash dancehall music and, more recently, a traditional reggae sound. His career has been stunted in the United States because of his attitude toward gays, including songs “Batty Rider” and “Boom Bye Bye” which glorify the shooting of gay men.
Associated Press writer Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this report.
DIS SOUN LIKE A SHOW TO HELL SMH
****RULES**** 1. Debates and rebuttals are allowed but disrespectful curse-outs will prompt immediate BAN 2. Children are never to be discussed in a negative way 3. Personal information eg. workplace, status, home address are never to be posted in comments. 4. All are welcome but please exercise discretion when posting your comments , do not say anything about someone you wouldnt like to be said about you. 5. Do not deliberately LIE on someone here or send in any information based on your own personal vendetta. 6. If your picture was taken from a prio site eg. fimiyaad etc and posted on JMG, you cannot request its removal. 7. If you dont like this forum, please do not whine and wear us out, do yourself the favor of closing the screen- Thanks! . To send in a story send your email to :- [email protected]
Recent Comments