Jamaican in U.S. to face drug trial

MEXICO CITY — Christopher Coke, a reputed gang leader from Jamaica accused of running a major smuggling operation of drugs and guns in the United States, arrived in New York on Thursday evening after waiving his right to an extradition hearing in Jamaican courts.

Appearing briefly before a Jamaican magistrate, Coke, dressed casually and speaking in a soft voice, agreed to forgo a legal challenge and to face trial in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. Jamaican authorities said they had frozen his assets pending a resolution of the case, which gets under way with an arraignment scheduled for this morning.

In a statement released by his lawyers, Coke, who goes by the nickname “Dudus,” said he would vigorously fight the charges and expected to return to Jamaica a free man. He said he was not challenging his extradition because he wanted to put an end to the bloodshed that the country had experienced since an arrest warrant was issued for him late last month.

Dozens of people died in fierce urban combat after Coke’s supporters barricaded the Tivoli Gardens neighborhood of West Kingston and engaged in what the authorities called gunbattles with the police and soldiers searching for him.