Frustrated at the slow moving wheels of justice in an outstanding drug case, lawyers have petitioned to have an alleged drug dealer released from prison.

St. Vincent national Alphonso Cyril Holder, 37, who is co-accused with Sandys Parish resident Kirk Roberts, 40, for alleged drug possession, has served nearly 14 months on remand, according to his lawyer Patrick Doherty.

The two men are charged with conspiring with others to import more than $100,000 cannabis into the Island on or between an unknown date and December 19, 2000.

Holder was arrested after coming into the Island on a sailboat.Roberts is also charged with intent to supply and possession of drug equipment on December 19.

The pending drug case has stalled since December 2000, with several adjournments.

Most recently last May, it had stalled at the preliminary inquiry stage, in which the media was barred from the proceedings.

However, Mr. Doherty said that his client's constitutional rights are being violated and he is seeking Holder's release as soon as possible.

"Essentially he has been on remand since December 2000," Mr. Doherty said. "He wants to move this case along. The application is to see him released - the petition argues that he has been in custody for an unreasonable length of time. If it has the effect to move the case along then that is a good thing for my client."

When The Royal Gazette sought comment from Khamisi Tokunbo, Director of Public Prosecutions, he said that he was not "overly concerned" about the slow movement of the case. He said he expected to see the case move to the Supreme Court in the near future.