Indian national, Rahul Jaiswal, was arrested in Ballito and is wanted by the USA on allegations of conspiracy, drug distribution, money laundering, and importing controlled substances. Picture: UNSPLASH FREE DOWNLOADS
Indian national, Rahul Jaiswal, was denied bail when he appeared at the Umhlali Periodical Court.
Mr Jaiswal was arrested in Ballito, north of Durban, and is wanted by the United States of America (USA) on allegations of conspiracy, drug distribution, money laundering, and importing controlled substances. Mr Jaiswal is married to a South African citizen.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said South Africa received an extradition request from the United States government, outlining a series of charges against Mr Jaiswal, which inter alia claim that he is leading an organised criminal group under the guise of JAISWAL DTO (DTO).
According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), DTO was allegedly involved in the illegal importation, distribution, and misbranding of prescription drugs, operating from India, and reaching customers in the USA, said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
“During his bail application, Jaiswal highlighted personal circumstances, including his marriage to a South African citizen, financial responsibility towards his family, and information relating to his employment in India,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
“The state argued that Jaiswal’s status as a foreign national, his lack of permitted employment in South Africa, and his ties to the alleged criminal activities posed significant risks and that he was a flight risk.”
On Tuesday November 21, the court found that Mr Jaiswal had not demonstrated why his release on bail would be in the interest of justice and denied his application. The case returns to court on January 26 for a pre-inquiry into the extradition request hearing, said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
The bail application was successfully opposed by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Deneshree Naicker and Senior State Advocate Naveen Sewparsat.
“This legal proceeding highlights the international nature of criminal activities and the cooperation between countries in addressing transnational crimes. The detailed charges and the denial of bail underscore the seriousness of the allegations against Jaiswal, emphasising the legal complexities involved in extradition cases,” added Ms Ramkisson-Kara.