U.S. Set to Grab Alleged Jamaican Drug Lord

U.S. law enforcement officials have put Drug Enforcement Administration Air Wing pilots on alert.

DEA Pilots Alerted That Grab of Alleged Jamaican Drug Lord May Be Near

Christopher 'Dudus' Coke Negotiating Surrender With U.S., DEA Pilots On Alert

ABC News | By RICHARD ESPOSITO and MARK SCHONE
May 27, 2010 U.S. law enforcement officials have put Drug Enforcement Administration Air Wing pilots on alert and planes on standby as they wait out the ongoing discussions between alleged Jamaican drug lord Christopher "Dudus" Coke and the U.S. government -- and wait to see whether Coke will be brought out of hiding in handcuffs or in a body bag.

US Marshals, DEA agents and federal prosecutors are working hand in hand with senior Jamaican military and police officials in an effort to effect a surrender and extradition of Coke, who is wanted on federal drug and firearms charges, to the United States.

At least 60 Jamaicans, including both civilians and security officers, have died since Jamaican authorities began moving in on Coke's barricaded West Kingston neighborhood in an attempt to capture him Monday. The U.S. has wanted to extradite Coke since 2009, but the Jamaican government had resisted until this month.

The violence shows no signs of abating and has spread to adjoining neighborhoods. The police and military effort to curb it now has by some estimates "thousands" of troops on the streets. Jamaican authorities allege that Coke brought in gunmen from other parts of Jamaica and other Caribbean islands to help prevent his capture.

(Click on title for link to ABC website)