The US State Department has said it is not familiar with the report cited by ABC yesterday, referring to the Jamaican prime minister as a criminal affiliate of Christopher "Dudus" Coke.

In a press briefing today, Assistant Secretary of State Mr Crowley was asked the question:

There is an ABC report that cited a U.S. document referring to the Jamaican prime minister as a criminal affiliate of Christopher Coke. Does the U.S. consider the prime minister a criminal?

Mr. Crowley's response was:

"I am not familiar with the report cited in that story. We certainly support the efforts of the Government of Jamaica to strengthen the rule of law and arrest Christopher Coke. The Government of Jamaica and the prime minister have taken bold steps in the last few days and we continue to work closely with the Government of Jamaica to counter illicit trafficking. I would just simply say we here at the State Department have no information to substantiate that report.

But to us, actions speak louder than words. It is the prime minister that signed the arrest decree and it is under his leadership that the government is aggressively pursuing the arrest of Mr. Coke."

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