‘Drug Kingpin’ convicted for importing thousands of kilograms of cocaine

The US Department of Justice announced the conviction of Samuel Knowles, described by DOJ as a ‘drug kingpin’, for importing thousands of kilograms of cocaine. Forfeiture was ordered in the amount of $13,900,000, which represents the money received in exchange for and used to facilitate the distribution of narcotics. Knowles' sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 23, 2008. Knowles faces a maximum statutory sentence of life imprisonment on each count. He was found guilty on two counts in the indictment.

Knowles was extradited from the Bahamas on September 7, 2006 on federal narcotics charges. According to the evidence, Knowles was a participant in a conspiracy between 1995 and 1996 to import several thousand kilograms of cocaine into the United States by using "go fast" vessels. Knowles and his co-conspirators used various routes in the Caribbean to facilitate their importation scheme.

One kilogram equals approximately 2.2 lbs. So the importers were hauling lots of cocaine—more than a ton in fact. The FBI and the US Drug Enforcement Administration worked jointly on the investigation. The federal case was tried in the Southern District of Florida.

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