Legal arguments began yesterday in the motion brought by 53-year-old St. Ann businessman Norris 'Deedo' Nembhard, Police Corporal Herbert Henry and four other men who are seeking to have their extradition orders set aside.

The other men for whom extradition orders were made in 2005 are Colombian barber, Luis Miguel Arias and Jamaicans, Robroy Williams, also called 'Spy', Glenford Williams, and Vivian Dalley. The men have been in custody since April 2004.

Major crackdown

They are wanted in the United States to face charges related to allegations of conspiracy to export cocaine to that country during the years 1998 to 2004.

They were arrested as part of a major international crackdown on drug trafficking among the Jamaican, United States, British and Colombian governments.

They are challenging the documents on which they were ordered extradited, on the basis that these documents are not authentic.

Nembhard, who is represented by Frank Phipps, Q.C. and attorney-at-law Wentworth Charles, is also contending that his designation by U.S. President George W. Bush, as a drug kingpin, will prevent him from getting a fair trial if he is extradited.

Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe, Senior Puisne Judge Marva McIntosh and Mr. Justice Lloyd Hibbert are hearing the motion in the Supreme Court.