The 42 year old Jamaican drug lord, Christopher "Dudus" Coke appeared at a US federal district court in New York yesterday (31^st August) to face charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. He pleaded guilty to both charges.

While in court he also admitted to having run the Kingston, Jamaica-based criminal gang the Shower Posse and the Presidential Click, both of which had been major traffickers’ of marijuana and cocaine in the country. He also told of how he had ordered the purchase of firearms and the importation of those firearms into Jamaica in furtherance to this conspiracy.”

Afterwards, US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement: “For nearly two decades, Christopher Coke led a ruthless criminal enterprise that used fear, force and intimidation to support its drug and arms trafficking 'businesses'. He moved drugs and guns between Jamaica and the United States with impunity. Today's plea is a welcome conclusion to this ugly chapter of criminal history.”

The pursuit of Coke by the US authorities shed light on the links between politicians and gang leaders in Jamaica to which Coke enjoyed substantial protection from the ruling Jamaican Labour Party leader and Prime Minister Bruce Golding whose constituency includes the Shower Posse controlled district of Tivoli Gardens in West Kingston.

Initial indictments for Cokes extradition in 2009 were rejected by Mr Golding who argued that the evidence was flawed. However pressure both at home and internationally grew to such an extent that in the spring of last year he finally succumbed and signed an arrest warrant and this led to a state of emergency being declared as gunmen loyal to Coke barricade the streets of Tivoli Gardens and mounted attacks against the police and security forces, who were accused of using excessive force, and resulted in the deaths of 76 people over four days of gun battles.

Christopher "Dudus" Coke is due to be sentenced on December 8^th when he could face up to 23 years in prison.