Bahamas Won’t Let U.S. Seize Lehder’s Property

NASSAU, Bahamas —  Atty. Gen. Paul Adderley said Saturday that any move by U.S. officials to seize property belonging to Carlos Lehder, the convicted cocaine smuggler, will be blocked by the Bahamian government.

“You can’t enforce an order on a sovereign district territory,” Adderley said. “That’s not legally possible unless there’s an agreement.”

Lehder, 38, was convicted Thursday in Jacksonville, Fla., by a jury on all 11 counts of the indictments against him. He used Norman’s Cay, about 40 miles southeast of Nassau, in his drug smuggling operation.

Lehder faces up to life imprisonment and millions of dollars in fines and property forfeiture. Sentencing is set for July 20.

He was extradited to the United States last year. The Drug Enforcement Administration considered him one of four heads of the Medellin cartel cocaine smuggling ring until his arrest.

Jurors decided Friday that the U.S. government could seize the millions of dollars worth of Lehder property in the Bahamas.

A statement released by the Bahamas Information Service, however, said the Bahamas plans action to confiscate Lehder’s property itself. The Bahamas has laws that allow it to confiscate the land of those convicted of drug trafficking outside the Bahamas, the statement said.

Lehder owned six companies and about half of Norman’s Cay, including an airstrip, hotel and marina. He also owns two houses on the cay and a condominium in Nassau.

Adderley said the Bahamian government has approved a mutual legal assistance treaty with the United States under which the United States might be able to confiscate Lehder’s property, but Washington has so far failed to consider similar legislation.

U.S. Atty. Robert Merkle has said the seizure would be legal since the property was owned by Lehder and not the Bahamian government.