by Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter

Melissa Golding's efforts to smuggle 11 kilograms of ganja out of the island proved to be a costly one as she was sentenced to two years im-prisonment when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

RM Judith Pusey handed down the sentence after the woman pleaded guilty to possession of, dealing in and taking steps to export the drug to an Eastern Caribbean island.

Golding was arrested and charged on October 15 after police spotted the marijuana in a black suitcase with her name tag on it. She was booked on a BWIA flight to a Caribbean country. The marijuana was found among articles of clothing, a loaf of bread, bun, tins of cheese and chocolate.

Golding made no attempts to mitigate her sentence when Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey asked her to explain her action.

"I have nothing to say," Golding said, before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

She was ordered to pay a fine of $15,000 or 18 months im-prisonment for possession; $73,600 or 18 months im-prisonment for dealing in and $256,000 or 18 months imprison-ment for taking steps to export marijuana.

She will serve a mandatory two-year imprisonment. If the fines are not paid, she will serve an additional 18 months imprison-ment.

Golding was apparently not bothered by her punishment as she calmly resumed her seat and folded her arms when her sentence was passed.