Nigel Registe, a native of Dominica residing in St. Thomas and crew member Kevin Greaves of St. Thomas, who were onboard a 18-foot go-fast boat when it was intercepted by police on the northern side of Tortola on October 25, 2012 have pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine with intent to supply. Photo: VINO/File

Five joint charges were read to the men as well as two separate charges of illegal entry when they appeared in the Magistrate’s Court this morning October 30, 2012.

A search of the vessel had allegedly uncovered 6.44 kilograms of cocaine.

The men have also been charged for failing to declare some $13, 514,12c.

The matter is still being heard at the court and was adjourned for a brief moment after someone, reportedly a relative of one of the accused, fainted in the court room.

The vessel was one of two intercepted on Thursday October 25, 2012 when officers of the Special Investigations Unit and the Marine Branch led an operation that also resulted in the seizure of more than 560kg of marijuana.

That case is also scheduled to be called today.

According to a press release from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), the captain Adrian Arthur of Barbados and crew members Ralph James of Antigua and Glenroy Pierre of St. Vincent residing in Trinidad who were onboard the yacht Graerest as well as captain Nigel Registe, a native of Dominica residing in St. Thomas and crew member Kevin Greaves of St. Thomas, who were onboard a 18-foot go-fast boat, were all charged with illegal entry.

Around 12:30 P.M. on the said afternoon, the team assisted by officers of HMS Customs stopped the yacht near Anegada with three men onboard and a search of the vessel uncovered over 560 kilos of cannabis with a street value of over $5,600,000, the press release stated.

The second vessel, a go-fast boat, was stopped on the northern side of Tortola around 4:15 P.M. the same day with two men who are residents of USVI onboard. A search of that vessel reportedly uncovered six kilograms of cocaine.

According to a a previous press release from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF),  Ag. Deputy Commissioner Alwin James reiterated the commitment of his officers and his relief that neither the vessels nor their contents made it onshore.