Extradition proceedings have began in the Summary Court for Juan Carlos Gonzales Infante, a Venezuelan man wanted in the US on drug smuggling and money laundering charges.
Gonzales Infante, 60, has been in custody in Cayman since May 2019, after arriving on board a private jet as a co-pilot. He was taken into custody alongside four other men, after authorities alleged the $6 million worth of gold on board the private aircraft was the result of the proceeds of crime.
All five men pleaded not guilty and were acquitted of the charges after a jury trial. Although the other defendants were freed, Gonzales Infante remained in custody following the activation of the extradition warrant by the US.
He is wanted in the US on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, importation of cocaine into the US, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“The charges against Mr. Gonzalez are very serious,” said attorney David Perry, KC, who is being instructed by Toyin Salako from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“The indictment alleges that Mr. Gonzales conspired abroad with a multinational network of criminal contacts involved in narcotrafficking and had the ability to deliver 100 kilos of cocaine in Fort Lauderdale undetected,” said Perry. “This amount of cocaine was worth millions of dollars and speaks of involvement in a sophisticated and dangerous criminal operation.”
Perry told the court that Gonzales Infante is believed to have been the mastermind behind the operation, and that he sourced the drugs for South and Central America and then brokered a deal with a Bahamian national.
The alleged drug deal is said to have occurred in 2011, and when things went south, Gonzales Infante discovered authorities were after him and he fled the US.
“His knowledge of the pending proceedings means he is in essence a fugitive of the law,” said Perry.
Fighting the extradition battle
Although Gonzales Infante’s team has not presented their case, they have provided their reasons against the extradition by way of written submissions which were initially addressed by Perry.
Their reasons include the passage of time between the alleged offending and the filing of the extradition warrant, the possibility of being jailed for life which would violate his human rights, the prison conditions that he might have to face if returned to the US, and his overall physical and mental condition.
He also argued that this was a case of mistaken identity and that he was not the person in question, because there was a different date of birth on a charge sheet.
During his hour-and-a-half long opening remarks, Perry briefly refuted each ground and encouraged Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn to rule in favour of the extradition in line with what he says is an obligation imposed by the Extradition Act 2003 (Overseas Territories).
Perry also refuted the claims of mistaken identity, stating that Gonzales Infante was identified by a photo from a co-defendant in the US who is cooperating with authorities.
Requirements met
In advancing his case for the extradition of Gonzales Infante, Perry said the requirements set out in the extradition legislation had been met.
“Section 78 [in the Extradition Act] deals with the initial stages of the extradition hearing,” said Perry. “The judge must decide whether the document sent to the judge by the governor conform to the requirements of section 78(2) and, if so, whether the offence specified in the request is an extradition offence.”
Perry argued that the details set out in the extradition warrant were such that they merited the Governor’s Office issuing a lease for Gonzales Infante’s return to the US.
“This will become apparent from the evidence which I will address later,” said Perry, as he hinted what was to come in the weeklong trial.
The trial continues Wednesday, and Gonzales Infante has been remanded into custody.
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