Court: $48 Million Cocaine Trial Continues
The $48 million worth of cocaine alleged to have been found on Janis Zegelis sailboat was divided into 165 plastic packages, the Supreme Court heard yesterday [May 30].
28-year-old Janis Zegelis, a Latvian National, sailed to Bermuda from Trinidad on July 21, 2011, and was arrested on August 1, after Customs officials searched his boat while it was docked in the St George’s area.
The court heard that Mr Zegelis had not intended to come to Bermuda, but had diverted to the island after experiencing mechanical problems with his sailboat. He is alleged to have been in possession of the $48 million worth of cocaine, a 9mm Beretta, 192 rounds of ammunition and two extended magazines.
During the morning’s proceedings, experts were called to the stand to testify that the substance found was in fact cocaine, while the afternoon saw firearm experts take the stand. A translator has been provided for the defendant, and Mr Zegelis could be seen whispering to the translator during some parts of the proceedings.
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I wonder who is paying Mark Pettingil’s legal fees. This latvian I’m sure isn’t on Legal Aid. Follow the Money BPS/Interpol, you may wind up a big fish!
Big fish don’t pay court fees for runners so its either being paid by this guy or us. They couldn’t care less about this guy now that he’s lost their product & probably rather he rowed his boat all the way home then get caught. This guy is most likely praying every night that he is stuck for years here because the “big fish” is planning on using him for land fill.
Send him back to his country, Why should we pay for him to be here for the next 30 years.
Maybe Bermuda can work out a prisoner exchange deal with latvia. We could send 4 of our gang member prisoners over there since it cost the same over there for that many as it does here for one. I’m sure the prisoners in latvia would love to have some diversity in their prison & would welcome Bermudian prisoners like their own.
It was for personal use
i wanna know where this benefits Bda ….if he was in distress maritime law requires assisstance be rendered so that seafarers can continue thier voyage safe and sound ….148million dollars huh? or is that Bda’s over inflated prices…hmmm think about the organization that paid for that product or got it on consignment…definitely not street dealers….the debt will have to be paid so unless they can absorb a loss of this magnitude, someone will pay and i doubt it will be their “runner” who was making it possible for them to receive their goods.
i hate to see the day when these organizations decide to infiltrate Bda. and wreak havoc on a few high ranking officials, just as they would anywhere else in this world…i’m jus sayin
he could have been housed in isolation until his boat was ready then escorted out of Bda’s waters….you all didnt need to know what color toilet paper he had on board…BUT if it was deemed that he could not leave under his own power then YES of course by all means i would be proud of Bda for the Job they accomplished….but i wanna know where is 165 packages of COCAINE and its Destiny …oh yeah dats rite destroyed don tynes bay…hahahahahah who throws away $148,000,000….maybe u cud tel me?????
Anyway there is much more important things going on in my life to watch him transporting recreations back to his country… Remember…he ONLY came here as a matter of LIFE or DEATH situation…well i guess in the isles of devils you get both.
LOL!!!! You just made my day!!
“who throws away $148,000,000….maybe u cud tel me?????”
and
“Remember…he ONLY came here as a matter of LIFE or DEATH situation…well i guess in the isles of devils you get both.”
sorry but to correct myself **48,000,000…not 148,000,000…
The “Big Fish” def has an eye on him and ALL the details of the case..for some of the following reasons
1. Snitching
2. Fault (could it have been avoided)
And in regards to them losing their shipment of 100+ kilos of cocaine…It is only worth the trouble if they are dealing in numbers over 100 kilos. Millions of dollars have to be spent on transporting the goods (runner, boat, protection, clear passage i.e. paying off boarder agents, customs, coast guard)
Europe has a huge cocaine market so he wasn’t the first to make this trip and wont be the last so the “Big Fish” wont be hurt too much from this.
This will most definitely hurt the latvian’s alleged boss since interpol has significantly cracked down on cocaine & ecstasy trafficking. There’s been recent reports of european dealers cutting coke & e with mephedrone to stretch out their dwindling supplies without diminishing the effects which would occur from cutting with baby laxative. This cutting method is a big problem for high end executive users that like to do tony montana amounts of yay because an intake of that much mephedrone will make someone go berserk & white collar users don’t want that. This guy allegedly messed up big time wether it be the profit loss or just the principle of it & in the Eastern Bloc lost principle isn’t taken taken lightly.
Listening to the news last night, something sounds fishy. The cop, Bahgwan, who if I recall, shouldn’t even be a narco because of previous dirty deeds, claimed this guy confessed in the police car…..but but but…….he cannot speak English……….what was the cops intent, and btw, when is that container case up in south shore Warwick coming to trial? You know, the one with coke, dope, and weed, plus hundreds of rounds of 9mm ammo. Hmmmmmm
I am Latvian, and we do not need him at all, you can feed sharks with him and keep boat. I am sure he can feel more safe in Bermuda prison, because with first step in Europe land he can get head-shot for unsuccessful delivery.
From the comments i could say why he would write e-mail to his mother about trowing out all this staff from his boat which would cost about 48 million dollars! I am sure that it wasn`t happening as it should if he really would want to get it to Latvia!
I am Latvian and i would say something good about him but i cant cause it is just not smart taking these drugs over seas if you don`t want it! Why did he actually went in this trouble! I can not understand him! But if he would be so crazy than that is his problem!