Jamaica’s ‘drug lord’
Witness History
BBC
4.5 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 23 March 2021
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The Jamaican government issued a warrant for the arrest and extradition of the drug lord Christopher Coke, otherwise known as “Dudus” in May 2010. The United States wanted him extradited to face charges of racketeering and bringing drugs and guns into America. Coke controlled an area of the Jamaican capital Kingston, called Tivoli Gardens. Dozens of people in the district he dominated were killed as the police and military stormed the stronghold, even using mortar bombs to try and disperse the gunmen protecting Coke. Human rights attorney Jodi-Ann Quarrie talks to Bob Howard about the events and their impact on Jamaica. (Jamaican police on patrol after a frenzy of gang and drug violence in Kingston, May 24 2010. Credit: Anthony Foster/Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know. |
| 0:04.7 | My name's Linda Davies and I Commission Podcasts for BBC Sounds. |
| 0:08.5 | As you'd expect, at the BBC we make podcasts of the very highest quality featuring the most knowledgeable experts and genuinely engaging voices. |
| 0:18.0 | What you may not know is that the BBC makes podcasts about all kinds of things like pop stars, |
| 0:24.6 | poltergeist, cricket, and conspiracy theories and that's just a few examples. |
| 0:29.7 | If you'd like to discover something a little bit unexpected, find your next podcast over at BBC Sounds. Hello you're listening to the BBC World Service and now witness history with me Bob Howard. |
| 0:48.8 | Today I'm taking you back to the Jamaican capital, Kingston in 2010, when attempts to extradite a drug |
| 0:56.6 | lord to the USA highlighted just how much power and influence drug traffickers had on the |
| 1:02.3 | Caribbean island. |
| 1:03.5 | We're looking for a reputed area done, a dottis. |
| 1:07.5 | A wrong man and I look fine a da da da da. |
| 1:10.3 | It's May and a warrant has been issued by the government for the arrest and |
| 1:16.8 | extradition of Christopher Koch, otherwise known as Duddus. |
| 1:21.8 | Koch controlled an area of West Kingston called Tiverly Gardens. |
| 1:26.0 | The United States wanted to extradite him to face charges of racketeering and bringing drugs |
| 1:31.3 | and guns into America. |
| 1:34.0 | Calling him just an area Don |
| 1:36.8 | under estimates the sort of influence and fear |
| 1:40.4 | which Christopher Co Koch commanded. |
| 1:47.0 | Jody Ann Quarry is a Jamaican international human rights attorney. In May 2010, she was a 23 year old law student. |
| 1:51.0 | Christopher Koch was the Don of Dance, the controller of Tivale Gardens and the head of one of the largest |
| 2:00.4 | criminal organizations here in Jamaica, the show apacy. |
... |
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