Extradition proceedings against Andrew Hall ? the man accused of importing $1.8 million of heroin ? came one step closer this week.

Hall was freed in January when the Bermuda Supreme Court ruled the Jamaican?s constitutional rights had been breached because he had been held without trial for nearly three years. That decision was overturned on appeal last month. Yesterday, Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser told that Hall had appeared in a Jamaican court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.

The court decided the case should go ahead. The next stage will be the extradition hearing itself but it is not possible to say when this will take place or how long the process will take, said Mr. Ratneser, as it is being handled by Jamaican authorities.

Hall?s lawyer in Bermuda, Mark DielMr. Diel said he had not heard from Hall or his Jamaican lawyer in the last few days but Hall had already been held for eight days without charges before his appearance in court on Tuesday. He said Hall had not been trying to hide from authorities and had been picked up at his mother?s house.