WESTERN BUREAU — Earle Murdock, who allegedly eluded police who instructed him to get his luggage key from his vehicle after he was suspected of attempting to export drugs, was denied bail when he appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court Monday.

The Negril man was denied bail on the grounds that he posed a potential flight risk.

Murdock, 26, is said to have absconded police custody at the Sangster International Airport in June, leaving behind a bag of liquid cocaine. He is to return to court on September 2 when the forensic certificate and an outstanding statement should have been added to his file.

On June 20, Murdock was reportedly stopped at the airport’s security checkpoint and later taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where an X-ray was done but no contraband was found inside his stomach.

It is alleged that he was then taken back to the airport where he identified his bag but told the police he did not have the key to open it.

They reportedly sent Murdock to his car to retrieve the key but he did not return.

It was not until July 15 when he was taken to the Montego Bay Police Station, having been apprehended by the Negril police, that the contents of the bag he had reportedly identified as his in June were revealed.

The padlock on the bag was allegedly broken open at the station, in Murdock’s presence, and liquid cocaine found to be among its contents.

He was subsequently arrested and charged with possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export cocaine.

In court Monday, defence attorney Roy Fairclough took issue with the allegations, even as he asked that Murdock be allowed bail.

He said it was the police who had allowed his client to leave the airport on June 20 and that Murdock knew nothing of any padlock that was broken open at the police station in July.

Further, the attorney said, his client worked as a chef and had a family and people willing to stand surety for him should he be granted bail.

The prosecution would have none of it, however, pointing out that the accused posed a flight risk in light of the allegations against him.

Resident Magistrate Valerie Stephens, after listening to both parties, said she was not minded to grant bail. She said Murdock’s “conduct” did not inspire the court to offer bail.

She later ordered that he be remanded in police custody.