London, England (TDN) -- Police at Gatwick International airport on Friday arrested Curtis “Shakes” Richards on a warrant issued for drug trafficking by the Guadeloupian authorities. He was arrested when he disembarked from a flight originating in the Caribbean.
French police described Richards as “one of the biggest, if not the biggest supplier of drugs between Dominica and Guadeloupe and someone who had contact with the South American (drug) sector.”
As Richards was being apprehended in London, six of his alleged accomplices including five Dominicans were charged and indicted on drug trafficking charges in Guadeloupe.
Police say the men were observed transporting large quantities of cocaine and marijuana into Guadeloupe from Dominica.
Richards is no stranger to Dominica law enforcement. On November 14, 2009 Richards along with Andy Prosper were arrested and charged for conspiracy and murder in the triple murders of Mannison ‘Shabin’ Thomas of Fond St. Jean, Kenneth ‘Kamala’ Birmingham of Kings Hill, and Allan Bardouille of Newtown.
The bullet riddled bodies of the three men were found drifting off the coast of Salisbury in a boat belonging to Richards on November 3, 2009.
However, in a stunning development, just days before the trial was scheduled to begin on November 5, 2010 prosecutors without offering any reasons withdrew the charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder against the two men. To date, no other arrests have been made in the case.
With the latest arrest, Richards is expected to be handed over to French Police in the coming days.
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