A British national who tried to smuggle a pound of ganja out of the island in the hope of receiving £4,000 was fined J$37,000 and given a suspended sentence in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Builder Ian Lawrence, 49, was charged with possession, dealing and attempting to export ganja after 2.5lb of ganja was found in clothes he was wearing as he attempted to leave Jamaica.

He checked in at the Sangster International Airport on March 2 to board a flight to the Gatwick Airport in London. He was seen behaving suspiciously at the security checkpoint and was interviewed. A search of his person revealed six packages of ganja in a merino he was wearing.

Family woes

Defence lawyer Adrian Dayes told the court, during a mitigation plea, that his client's business in England was failing and his Jamaican girlfriend was pregnant. He said that the accused was introduced to a man in Negril who offered him £4,000 if he took the drug to England.

He asked that his client not be sent to prison, as he is responsible for taking care of his parents, who are over 80 years old.

Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry imposed fines of $4,000 for possession, $8,000 for dealing in, $20,000 for attempting to export and $5,000 for prosecution cost. He was also sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years.