Opinion ID: 3061858
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Gardiner’s Testimony

Text: The government then called Gardiner, who testified that he and Knowles arranged to smuggle 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from Jamaica into the United States in the spring of 1995. According to Gardiner, after Colombians delivered the drugs to him and Knowles in Jamaica, Knowles was responsible for securing, storing, and transporting the drugs through the Bahamas into Miami. Once in Miami, the drugs were delivered to the Colombians to distribute and sell. Gardiner testified that the Colombians hired Knowles to secure the cocaine because 19 Knowles “had a lot of power and strength in Jamaica . . . everyone would like go to use him or go through him because of all the influence and strength that he had in Jamaica.” R13 at 512-13. Gardiner also noted that while Knowles did not actually own the Gentle Winds Hotel, “Knowles had basically full control over [it].” Id. at 533.