(Jamaican Gleaner) The Assets Recovery Agency with the assistance of the United States Government is seeking to recover assets amounting to more than J$1 billion, from a St. Ann woman and five of her relatives, who are facing charges of money laundering.
Businesswoman Carol Lawrence-Austin and the other co-accused appeared in the St. Ann’s Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Defence lawyers Tom Tavares-Finson and Christian Tavares-Finson made bail applications for them and they were each granted bail in the sum of $5 million with sureties.
They are to return to court on June 28.
The other accused are Mavis Grant, Patrice Christie, Gentles Mott, Paula Barrett and Eustan Gillespie.
It is being alleged that Lawrence-Austin’s sister, Jean Therese Brown, and others operated a massive drug trafficking ring in several States in the US.
Couriers were used to take large sums of money from America to Jamaica and it is further alleged that the monies were used to purchase motor vehicles and several properties in St. Ann.
The Assets Recovery Agency is seeking to recover eight properties in St. Ann and two motor vehicles.
The case is pending in the Supreme Court.
