Jail sentence for Jamaican drug lord
A notorious Jamaican drug lord has been sentenced to jail in the United States.
Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, who was captured in 2010 after a massive police operation in Kingston, was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
The court heard that Coke, who led a crime ring that distributed drugs throughout the world, had been involved in brutal acts, including torture in a specially built chamber, in which he would cut off the hands and feet of his drug associates with a chain saw.
Coke tried to convince the court that he had been involved in charity work in the West Jamaican slum of Tivoli Gardens.
He told the federal court in Manhattan he was "no saint" but deserved credit for throwing parties for seniors and providing school supplies and Christmas gifts to children.
Coke's lawyers said some of the witnesses in the trial, former members of Coke's gang, were telling lies to achieve lesser sentences for themselves.
Coke, 43, was arrested and extradited to the US in 2010 following a bloody siege in Tivoli Gardens, a drug stronghold, patrolled by a small army of thugs.
Jamaica's prime minister initially fought Coke's extradition to America.
source: Jamaica News.Net
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