Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A 20-year-old Canadian woman will be spending the next 15 months in prison after she failed to properly manage her finances which led to her trying to take drugs out of the island.

A tearful Tracy-Ann Lanu, a security guard and part-time student of Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty to possession, dealing in and attempting to export over 52 pounds of ganja in bammies and other food items when she was taken before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Lanu was arrested and charged on May 17 after two suitcases she had checked in on a flight to Toronto were searched and the drugs amounting to 52.5 pounds found in 48 bammies.

In mitigation before RM Winsome Henry, defence attorney Adrian Dayes said that his client - an orphan - found herself with an outstanding debt of C$5,000, in addition to the cost of school.

He said that she was cognisant of the fact that the purpose of her trip to Jamaica was to collect drugs and take it back to Canada. However, he asked that she not be treated as those who became involved in drugs with greedy intent, but to treat her as one in need.

RM Henry said that she could not ignore the vast amount of drugs involved and reminded Lanu that there were many other persons in financial crisis, who had not resorted to tarnishing their clean record to solve their problems.

In addition to the prison sentence, she was fined $15,000 for possession and $330,000 for attempting to export. If the fines are not paid, six more months will be added to her sentence.