A case of alleged money laundering involving a Bermudian in the Island of St. Vincent is being hailed as the largest cash haul in the history of the eastern Caribbean.

Bermudian Winston Franklin Robinson, 65, and Trinidadian Kenneth Andrews, 38, were jointly charged two weeks ago with concealing US$1.6 million (EC$4.3 million) onboard a yacht within a harbour in St. Vincent.

The story was originally reported by the local Searchlight Newspaper. Local Police told The Royal Gazette that Robinson and Andrews allegedly had the cash concealed in "transparent plastic" aboard the sailboat, Jotobin.

The men were arrested on April 5 and appeared in Magistrates' Court on April 8, where they were summarily charged with money laundering. They pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Keith Miller, Commissioner of the Royal Police for St. Vincent and the Grenadines told The Royal Gazette: "This is the largest amount of cash found in our country. I heard it is the largest amount of cash ever found in the eastern Caribbean."

Robinson and Andrews were denied bail by Chief Magistrate Sonia Young and were remanded in the country's main prison until they reappear in court on June 16. Police say several additional charges may follow.

Robinson was further charged with entering St. Vincent and the Grenadines without notifying Customs, according to the Searchlight Newspaper. He also pleaded not guilty to this charge.

A local businessman had also been detained in connection with the cash haul, but was subsequently released, the publication reported.

The Commissioner added that Robinson and Andrews were being kept in isolation within Her Majesty's Prison, which is standard procedure for foreign nationals facing trial in St. Vincent.

If convicted summarily of money laundering, the men face five years in prison, or a fine of up to US$186,000, or both.

Commissioner Miller said prior to his arrest, Robinson was not known to St. Vincent authorities and now understands Robinson has made several trips to his country.

However, Robinson, formerly of Mangrove Bay, Sandys, is known to the Bermuda Police Service. In 2002, he was arrested on June 25 with five other men, after the Dutch Coastguard intercepted his boat 35 nautical miles from the small, related Dutch Antilles island of Saba near St. Maarten.

He was given a 16 month prison sentence in St. Maarten for 10,000 pounds of cannabis with a street value of less than $2 million on that Island, but would have been more than $200 million in Bermuda.