A Jamaican man, known as “Jamaica Mike,” has been given a 17-year prison sentence by a US judge for his involvement in “trafficking kilogram quantities of cocaine”.
Michael Kenroy Bell, the man behind the moniker, had previously pleaded guilty to federal charges in August.
These charges were linked to his participation in a drug trafficking operation that operated out of Raleigh during the years 2021 and 2022.
Deportation and criminal past
Before these recent offenses, Bell, 47, had been deported to Jamaica on June 25, 2020.
This deportation followed his completion of a federal sentence for a prior drug trafficking conviction.
Federal agencies unite in the fight against drugs
The US Department of Justice disclosed that the investigation into Bell’s activities was a collaborative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department.
Their joint operation targeted a drug trafficking organization active in Raleigh in the fall of 2021.
Through extensive physical and electronic surveillance, including federal wiretaps, authorities observed Bell’s frequent interactions with known drug dealers who were under investigation.
Although not formally charged in the 2021 investigation, Bell remained under constant law enforcement surveillance.
Reports are that between February and May of 2022, he was observed making numerous trips between Raleigh and Huntersville, as well as 11 trips to Miami, Florida, specifically for cocaine purchases.
