Posted on: Sunday, December 15, 2002

Ex-liquor inspector to be held

Associated Press

A former Honolulu liquor inspector has been ordered held without bail in a bribery case.

U.S. Magistrate Kevin Chang has ruled that Eduardo Mina, 72, is a flight risk.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Seabright told Chang that Mina left for the Philippines on Feb. 5 knowing that he was facing potential criminal charges. He was arrested at his daughter's home in Quezon City on Nov. 25 and was returned to Honolulu.

Mina was among eight employees of the Honolulu Liquor Commission who were indicted on May 22 on charges of taking bribes from hostess bars and strip clubs between October 2000 and December 2001.

They are accused of accepting money from bar owners in exchange for disregarding liquor violations, Seabright said.

Five of the defendants have agreed to cooperate with authorities. Mina, Arthur Andres and supervisor Harvey Hiranaka are scheduled for trial in November of next year.