An arrest warrant was yesterday issued by Chief Justice Richard Ground for accused heroin smuggler Andrew Hall.

The Jamaican walked free on charges of importing $1.8 million in January when Assistant Justice Archibald Warner ruled his constitutional rights had been breached because he had been held without trial for nearly three years. That decision was overturned on appeal last month.

Hall, 39, who would have faced between 14 and 18 years in jail if found guilty, left Bermuda in a private jet on a temporary passport within hours of being released and is believed to now be in Jamaica.

He was arrested in March, 2001 with two other Jamaicans, Barris Dawkins ? also known as Rudolph Everton Pusey ? and Teartia Smith.

Pusey was jailed for 18 years last year for pleading guilty to importing the drugs and Smith was given 14 years for admitting the same offence.

Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser could not be reached for comment last night on whether he will now begin extradition proceedings.