Former member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Shawn Neblett is facing extradition to the United States of America to face a drug trafficking charge.

Neblett, 34 of Community Lane, South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown, is wanted in the US in connection to a cocaine bust at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri on January 24, 2017.

The accused, after being on the run, was nabbed by police at Moleson Creek, Corentyne River while attempting to flee to Suriname.

He was arrested and placed before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrate Court late Tuesday afternoon where local extradition proceedings commenced.

A representative of the US Government, Stacy Gooding explained that her representatives have already filed the extradition with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP.)

Gooding requested that Neblett be remanded for the extradition process to begin.

In court, Neblett explained that he is unaware of the charges he is allegedly facing in the US while also denying that he attempted to flee the jurisdiction to Suriname.

The fugitive explained that he was traveling to Suriname legally and did not know that he was blacklisted.

Magistrate McGusty remanded Neblett to prison and adjourned the matter until June 6, 2019, for a report on the extradition.

According to reports, Neblett is wanted in connection to the almost $3M cocaine bust at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri.  On January 24, 2017, a suitcase was found with four packets of cocaine hidden inside.

Police had issued a wanted bulletin for the young man shortly after the bust.A University of Guyana student was subsequently charged with harbouring the wanted man but the charges were subsequently dismissed.

If Neblett’s extradition materialises, it will be the second such case in the matter of days to be successfully prosecuted here.

A-little-over- a week ago, Troy Anthony Thomas, who was wanted in the United States for murder, was extradited to that country and faced a federal court abroad. has been charged with harbouring a man wanted by police for trafficking narcotics.

Thomas, of 32nd Street, South Ozone Park, Queens, New York, U.S.A., had been hiding out in Guyana for a number of years. Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in December ordered that he be extradited to face a charge of murder in that country back in 2011.

The US Department of Justice had requested Thomas be extradited there to stand trial on three criminal charges he allegedly committed in the State of New York.(Clestine Juan)