A Bermudian is facing jail in New York after admitting his role in a $3.9 million heroin importation plot.Kyle John, 51, of Hamilton Parish, was detained at John F Kennedy Airport in January along with fellow Bermudian Rudolph Clarke, 40.According to court documents, the pair was on their way back to Bermuda from St Maarten in the Dutch Antilles, via an American Airways flight.During a layover in New York, customs officers stopped John and searched his bags, and discovered a false bottom in his suitcase.They found the heroin, which weighed 1343 grams, when they opened it up. That amount of the drug has a street value of approximately $3,952,000 if sold in individual “decks” on the streets of Bermuda.According to a sworn statement by Special Agent Ryan Varrone of US Homeland Security: “Defendant John admitted that he was carrying illegal drugs in the bag but that he did not know the specific type of drugs or the exact amount.“Defendant John stated that the bag was supplied to him by defendant Clarke. John stated that he agreed to carry the bag for Clarke and that Clarke was going to pay him $10,000 after the trip was completed.”Mr Varrone said both men had identical black Olympia roller bags.He added: “A review of flight itineraries indicates that both defendants were scheduled to travel to St Maarten via Miami on January 20, 2011, on the same flights.”However, he said, Clarke was stopped by Customs at the airport in Bermuda because he declared having $41,770 on him, and he ended up having to take a separate flight to St Maarten.“According to John, both he and Clarke stayed at the same hotel in St Maarten. When Clarke was arrested on January 23, 2011, he had $1,517 and John’s business card.”–The special agent said a review of cell phones belonging to the men showed John sent a message on January 22 stating “come up”. The message went to a cell phone found in Clarke’s possession when he was arrested.“John stated that after receiving this message he went to Clarke’s hotel room where Clarke gave John a black Olympia roller bag that John agreed to take.“John then took the bag from Clarke and filled it with his personal items. John admitted to investigators that this was the same bag he arrived with at JFK.“John admitted to investigators that he had carried drugs to Bermuda for Clarke ‘at the end of last year in December’ without incident and was paid $10,000 in cash.”Flight records indicate the pair had reservations to travel from St Maarten to New York on December 13, 2010 and from New York to Bermuda on December 14, 2010 on the same flights.Their passports show they were admitted into the US at JFK on December 13.“A further review of defendant Clarke’s passport indicates frequent travel between Bermuda and St Maarten for short periods of time,” added Mr Varrone.The men were charged at the United States Eastern District Court of New York. According to court documents, John pleaded guilty on March 31 to conspiring to import heroin into the United States. He is now awaiting sentencing, at a date yet to be fixed, and remains in custody.Clarke, of Sandys, is charged with conspiring to import heroin, importing heroin, conspiring to import heroin with intent to distribute it and possession of heroin with intent to distribute it.He has yet to enter a plea and continues to be held in custody. Court paperwork filed on February 17 indicated that he and his lawyer, Guy Oksenhendler, were engaged in plea negotiations which they believed were likely to result in the case being disposed of without a trial.Superintendent Andrew Boyce of Bermuda Police said: “In recent years, HM Customs and the Bermuda Police Service have been instrumental in bringing about the arrests of drug couriers, either in Bermuda or overseas, who have been trafficking significant quantities of cocaine and heroin from the Dutch Antilles to Bermuda.“The harmful effects of these drugs on individual users and families in Bermuda are very well known, as well as the severe penalties handed down by the courts to persons who have been arrested and convicted for offences related to drug trafficking.“Despite this, there are still some persons who are determined to cause harm and to take the risk of being detected at one of the multiple border control points which they have to pass through before reaching Bermuda.“We are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying any persons involved in the importation of illegal drugs into Bermuda, regardless of the type of drug or the source country. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 295-0011 or the confidential Crime Stoppers Bermuda hotline at 800-8477.”