A judge yesterday set bail at $125,000 each for two American men accused of smuggling cocaine valued at $1.3 million in the Exumas.
Ivan McCutcheon, 35, and Franklin Bourgos, 39, both of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, were denied bail on charges of drug possession with intent to supply, conspiracy to possess drugs with intent to supply, money laundering and illegal landing at their arraignment before Magistrate Samuel McKinney on September 17.
The charges stem from a drug interdiction by the crew of HMBS Kamalame in Warderick Wells Cay in the Exumas on September 13.
Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson granted bail over objections from the prosecution that the accused were flight risks.
By contrast, Nathan Smith, defending, cited multiple cases where non-residents were granted bail for more serious offenses like murder.
At first, Grant-Thompson had set the bail sum at $75,000 cash for each defendant. However, she upped it to $125,000 after Eucal Bonaby, the prosecutor, said that initial bail figure was “chicken feed” in comparison to the street value of the drugs involved.
McCutcheon and Bourgos could forfeit the bail money if they don’t return to the country for start of their trial on November 15.
