Norman's Cay is a small Bahamian island (a few hundred acres) in the Exumas, a chain of islands south and east of Nassau, that served as the headquarters for Carlos Lehder's drug-smuggling operation from 1978 to around 1982.
When Lehder arrived in Norman's Cay in 1978 he started purchasing large pieces of property, including a home for himself, a hotel and an airstrip. Shortly after Lehder began pushing the native population and vacationers off of Norman's Cay and gained full control of the island. Following Lehder's arrival air traffic over the small island began to increase and armed guards began patrolling the beaches. In July 1980 a yacht belonging to a retired couple was found drifting off Norman's Cay- blood stains were found when the boat was searched, and a corpse recovered.
As part of the Medellín Cartel, he used the island as a transshipment base for smuggling cocaine into the United States. Lehder, through Norman's Cay, is often attributed with revolutionizing drug smuggling. The typical method of transporting small shipments often carried by human drug mules, either through digestion or in their luggage, onto commercial airlines, was surpassed by the use of small aircraft shipping entire loads of cocaine.
Lehder eventually constructed a 3,300-foot long runway for his fleet of aircraft. In order to protect the island, armed guards patrolled the beaches and runway, radar was employed and attack dogs. Any pilot silly enough to land there was quickly warned off by heavily armed guards. The island served a strategic point as stop for Colombian drug flights to refuel and rest before proceeding to the United States.
With the Bahamian authorities looking the other way and the local inhabitants scared off, the island became a haven of debauchery for Lehder and his associates. Carlos Toro remembers, "Norman's Cay was a playground. I have a vivid picture of being picked up in a Land Rover with the top down and naked women driving to come and welcome me from my airplane... And there we partied. And it was a Sodom and Gomorrah... drugs, sex, no police... you made the rules... and it was fun."
Norman's Cay was referenced in the 2001 movie Blow.
In 1982, under pressure from US law enforcement, and despite years of turning a blind eye, the Bahamian government began to crack down on the activities on Norman's Cay, ultimately confiscating Lehder's land. It is now a tourist destination that can be reached by charter flight.
The island was again a subject of (minor) controversy when the newly-elected Progressive Liberal government honoured a pre-election in-principle agreement to sell the government-owned portion of the island valued at $60 million, despite the objections of the local MP. The government believes it may encourage further foreign investment.
The island's consortium of local and foreign buyers are thought to include resort chain Aman Resorts, a proudly small company that started in Phuket and specialises in five-star service amidst natural beauty environments.
Wikipedia- Norman's Cay
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Norman's Cay Island
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Wyclef Jean ft. Akon, Lil Wayne, & Nia - Sweetest Girl Music Video
Wyclef Jean ft. Akon, Lil Wayne, & Nia - Sweetest Girl Music Video
Notre Dame Irish Basketball Weekend
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Luke Harangody had 29 points and 16 rebounds, both career highs, and Notre Dame held West Virginia to its worst shooting game of the season to beat the Mountaineers 69-56 Thursday night.
The Fighting Irish (11-2, 1-0 Big East) took control with a 22-8 run in the first half, opening a 33-22 lead, and the Mountaineers never got closer than six points.
The Mountaineers (10-3, 0-1), who entered the game shooting 49.7 percent from the field for the season, were held to 32 percent shooting against the Irish, including a season-low 5-of-25 from 3-point range. Their 56-point total also was 14 points below their previous low of 70 against Winthrop.
The Irish won their 29th straight at home and their ninth straight overall. West Virginia lost its second straight and fell to 5-8 in Big East openers.
Harangody was 11-of-16 from the field as the Irish shot 48 percent and outrebounded the Mountaineers 46-33. When Harangody grabbed his 16th rebound with 34 seconds left the crowd yelled "Luuuuke," and did it again seconds later when he left the game.
West Virginia led 14-11 when Joe Alexander made a pair of free throws. But after starting the game making 4-of-10 from the field, the Irish made 9-of-10. Ryan Ayers ignited the 22-8 run with a pair of 3-pointers. Harangody had six points during the run and Zach Hillesland had four, including a slam dunk that brought the crowd to its feet.
Harangody was nearly perfect for the half, making 7-of-8 shots. His only miss was on his first 3-point attempt of the season with 4 seconds left in the half. Kyle McAlarney, who took the point with Tory Jackson on the bench with two fouls, had five assists on nine Irish baskets during the run. The Irish led 37-28 at the half.
Jackson, who entered the game 3-of-23 from 3-point range, finished with 12 points, including making back-to-back 3s after West Virginia cut the lead to 41-34 on a 3-pointer by Alex Rouff. Rouff led the Mountaineers with 18 points.
Notre Dame -ESPN
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Kyle McAlarney scored a career-high 32 points, including a key 3-pointer after a Rob Kurz 3 gave Notre Dame the lead for good, pacing the Fighting Irish to a 73-67 victory over Connecticut on Saturday night.
Notre Dame (12-2, 2-0 Big East) led by 21 points in the first half and by 15 at halftime, but UConn (10-3, 1-1) rallied back in the second half and used an 8-0 run to take its only lead at 58-57 on a basket inside by Jeff Adrien with 6:25 left.
The lead lasted only 22 seconds, though, as Zach Hillesland scored on a rebound. Kurz hit a 3 with 3:08 left to give the Irish a 64-61 lead, then Kurz blocked a shot by Adrien. McAlarney then hit his sixth 3-pointer and UConn never got closer than two points again.
Notre Dame won its 11th straight overall and its 30th straight at home. It was the third straight time the Irish beat the Huskies at the Joyce Center, but UConn still leads the overall series 12-6.
The Huskies, who were 2-8 on the road last season, fell to 2-1 on the road this season.
Kurz finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Luke Harangody added 14 points and 10 rebounds despite going 5-of-23 from the field.
Tory Jackson, who went to the locker room with 17 seconds left in the first half with a cornea abrasion on his right eye after a collision with Hasheem Thabeet, finished with 11 assists.
Adrien led the Huskies with 16 points and 11 rebounds and A.J. Price and Jerome Dyson had 13 points each.
Notre Dame -ESPN
The Fighting Irish (11-2, 1-0 Big East) took control with a 22-8 run in the first half, opening a 33-22 lead, and the Mountaineers never got closer than six points.
The Mountaineers (10-3, 0-1), who entered the game shooting 49.7 percent from the field for the season, were held to 32 percent shooting against the Irish, including a season-low 5-of-25 from 3-point range. Their 56-point total also was 14 points below their previous low of 70 against Winthrop.
The Irish won their 29th straight at home and their ninth straight overall. West Virginia lost its second straight and fell to 5-8 in Big East openers.
Harangody was 11-of-16 from the field as the Irish shot 48 percent and outrebounded the Mountaineers 46-33. When Harangody grabbed his 16th rebound with 34 seconds left the crowd yelled "Luuuuke," and did it again seconds later when he left the game.
West Virginia led 14-11 when Joe Alexander made a pair of free throws. But after starting the game making 4-of-10 from the field, the Irish made 9-of-10. Ryan Ayers ignited the 22-8 run with a pair of 3-pointers. Harangody had six points during the run and Zach Hillesland had four, including a slam dunk that brought the crowd to its feet.
Harangody was nearly perfect for the half, making 7-of-8 shots. His only miss was on his first 3-point attempt of the season with 4 seconds left in the half. Kyle McAlarney, who took the point with Tory Jackson on the bench with two fouls, had five assists on nine Irish baskets during the run. The Irish led 37-28 at the half.
Jackson, who entered the game 3-of-23 from 3-point range, finished with 12 points, including making back-to-back 3s after West Virginia cut the lead to 41-34 on a 3-pointer by Alex Rouff. Rouff led the Mountaineers with 18 points.
Notre Dame -ESPN
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Kyle McAlarney scored a career-high 32 points, including a key 3-pointer after a Rob Kurz 3 gave Notre Dame the lead for good, pacing the Fighting Irish to a 73-67 victory over Connecticut on Saturday night.
Notre Dame (12-2, 2-0 Big East) led by 21 points in the first half and by 15 at halftime, but UConn (10-3, 1-1) rallied back in the second half and used an 8-0 run to take its only lead at 58-57 on a basket inside by Jeff Adrien with 6:25 left.
The lead lasted only 22 seconds, though, as Zach Hillesland scored on a rebound. Kurz hit a 3 with 3:08 left to give the Irish a 64-61 lead, then Kurz blocked a shot by Adrien. McAlarney then hit his sixth 3-pointer and UConn never got closer than two points again.
Notre Dame won its 11th straight overall and its 30th straight at home. It was the third straight time the Irish beat the Huskies at the Joyce Center, but UConn still leads the overall series 12-6.
The Huskies, who were 2-8 on the road last season, fell to 2-1 on the road this season.
Kurz finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Luke Harangody added 14 points and 10 rebounds despite going 5-of-23 from the field.
Tory Jackson, who went to the locker room with 17 seconds left in the first half with a cornea abrasion on his right eye after a collision with Hasheem Thabeet, finished with 11 assists.
Adrien led the Huskies with 16 points and 11 rebounds and A.J. Price and Jerome Dyson had 13 points each.
Notre Dame -ESPN
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