LONG ISLAND, USA (CMC) – Former Guyana Health Minister Dr Noel Blackman has been refused bail after he was arrested at the John F Kennedy International Airport on Sunday as part of investigations by US law enforcement authorities into the illegal writing of scores of prescriptions for a narcotic-based painkiller.

Dr Blackman, 68, who is also the chairman of the Georgetown Hospital Corporation, was considered by US Magistrate Anne Shields a flight risk and ordered held, pending future hearings.

When he appeared in court on Monday, Dr Blackman was not required to enter a plea to the charge of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

US officials said that his secretary, Eva Torres, 31, of the Bronx, was also arrested on the same narcotics conspiracy charges and appeared in court for her arraignment Monday. She also was not required to enter a plea, but was released on US$50,000 bond.

The former minister was arrested late Sunday at Kennedy Airport, with US law enforcement authorities suspecting him of illegaly prescribing vast amounts of oxycodone — 365,000 pills in 2015 — in a drug-dealing enterprise spanning three states.

Media reports said the 68-year Guyanese, who served as a minister during the Desmond Hoyte Administration, wastaken off of a Guyana bound jet at the airport and taken into custody.

The jet was taxiing for take-off with Dr Blackman aboard when it was forced to return to an airport terminal by FBI agents.

Until his arrest, Dr. Blackman had prac tised surgery and pain management from offices in the United States.