Two brothers and a 17-year-old St James boy appeared in the Port of Spain Magistrates' Court on Monday charged with possession of $1.7 million worth of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Joseph Smith, of Chaguanas; his brother, Daniel Prestana, of Oropouche; Hassan Ali, of Diego Martin; and the 17-year-old were charged with possession of the cocaine, having it on board a vessel and importing it.

The accused appeared before Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan. They pleaded not guilty to the charge of having the drugs on-board, and were not called on to plead to the other charges, which were laid indictably.

All the accused except Ali were granted $500,000 bail to be approved by the Clerk of the Peace. They are to report to the nearest police station between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Ali, who was represented by Oscar King, was denied bail when the magistrate learned that he had an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in the Scarborough Magistrates' Court on a pending charge.

The 17-year-old, who was represented by attorney Patrick Godson-Phillips, was ordered to return to his mother's home and was ordered to report to the West End Police Station.

Attorney Jagdeo Singh represented the brothers.

The four were allegedly arrested in a pirogue on Friday by members of the Coast Guard off Diamond Rock, just off the north coast, and were later handed over to Customs officers.

The matter was adjourned to July 31.