The curtain fell in less-than-spectacular fashion on reputed drug kingpin Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who arrived in New York late Thursday evening to face gun and drug-trafficking charges in Manhattan Federal District court.The end came not with a bang but a whimper as Coke waived his right to extradition at a specially arranged court session at a maximum-security facility in Kingston. Coke was immediately escorted by U.S. Marshals to the airport and placed on a New York–bound plane.

Kingston and surrounding areas remain calm, and there has been no sign or reports of the earlier unrest that followed security forces attempting to capture Coke. In response, The U.S. Department of State has renewed its current travel alert for Jamaica, which will expire on July 23.

This sad juncture in Jamaican politics ends nine months of political wranglings and a diplomatic stalemate following the Department of Justice's extradition warrant for the arrest of Coke, don of West Kingston's infamous Tivoli Gardens garrison.

Coke, 42, is considered among the "world's most dangerous narcotics kingpins"by the Drug Enforcement Agency. He has been charged with conspiracy to traffic firearms and to distribute marijuana and cocaine. He is expected to be arraigned later today and his assets -- as can be located -- have been frozen, pending a full investigation.

It is a day many Jamaicans never thought would come.

This drama is steeped in hypocrisy and irony: After his court hearing, the man who wielded god-like power across the country and whose capricious gesture might have meant death and destruction for the unlucky, was said to be terrified that he would be killed before his day in court. He thanked arresting officers for not slaughtering him on sight.

Squat, bald, clean-shaven, with a bemused smirk plastered across his face, Coke seemed aware that this was his last hurrah. Dressed as if he were headed to Passa Passa night, Coke wore a blue and white striped shirt, white undershirt, gray jeans, leather watch and the requisite Clarks shoes and gold chain.

He was allowed to read a statement to the court via attorney Tom Tavares-Finson, a government senator. Resigned to his fate, Coke said:

I take this decision, for I now believe it to be in the best interest of my family, the community of Western Kingston and, in particular, the people of Tivoli Gardens and above all Jamaica.

Everyone, the whole country, has been adversely affected by the process that has surrounded my extradition, and I hope that my action today will go some way towards healing all who have suffered and will be of benefit to the community of Tivoli Gardens.

Above all, I am deeply upset and saddened by the unnecessary loss of lives, which could have been avoided, be it of members of the security forces and over 80 residents of Tivoli or any other innocent Jamaicans that has occurred during this time. I leave Jamaica and my family, in particular Patsy, with a heavy heart but fully confident that in due course I will be vindicated and returned to them.

But even as Tavares-Finson droned on about Coke's sorrow and heavy heart, sniffer dogs were searching for bodies by a murky swampland in the previously impenetrable Tivoli Gardens. Recently, they unearthed the body of a missing police officer who had his hands and feet bound, mouth gagged and face frozen in terror. He was shot to death. That this could have happened without Coke's approval is impossible.

Upon Coke's arrival in New York, he remained under heavy guard (see below). He seemed distantly interested, not unlike a tourist displaying mild curiosity at unfamiliar surroundings rather than a man who is broken up about the part he has played in the unraveling of a country. As the moments approach in which the piper must be paid, though, surely that mask of bravado will disintegrate.

Now begins the dreaded moments: the speculation, hand-wringing and bouts of insomnia for his powerful and yet-unnamed cohorts and co-conspirators who are wondering whether Coke will he sing like a canary in captivity. The names of his downtown compadres are familiar: the Zeekies, Pugu, Forehead, Mark II. But less familiar (if not entirely unknown) are the names of the untouchable uptown power brokers: government ministers, businessmen, lawyers, highly ranked police officers and, dare I say, a Colombia cartel connect?

This week, Prime Minister Bruce Golding, impervious to decency or shame with his requisite coat of hubris, fully intends to continue with business as usual, as if nothing untoward has taken place. He is scheduled to attend a special outreach session of the G8 Summit in Canada, titled "Recovery and New Beginnings," which focuses on transnational crime and the measures needed to combat it.

Not surprisingly, Golding is one of only three leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean who have been invited to the summit. He explained, " The [G8] agenda includes a serious focus on how can we, as countries that are all involved, are all affected by transnational criminal activities, [can] collaborate more effectively to assist each other in addressing this problem. It is something that is urgent." No kidding.

The summit will address issues related to international development and international peace and security, with special emphasis on transnational crime, including drug trafficking. In what appears to be the height of hypocrisy, Jamaica is to receive assistance from Colombia to bring narco-criminals to justice. Golding explained that he'd received a call from President Alvaro Uribe, offering Colombian police and military assistance to combat drug-related crime, since, as Golding explains, "They have the experience in terms of how to deal with this kind of brazen, aggressive narcotics-related criminal network."

Will Jamaica be turning a new page or courting a new master? Only time will tell.