Denise Shilito was last week sentenced to six months' imprisonment at hard labour when she appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court, charged with possession, dealing in and taking steps to export ganja. The British national was also fined $65,000 in addition to her sentence.

The court was told that the accused woman was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom at the Norman Manley International Airport when a search of her luggage revealed ganja was hidden in the secret compartments of both suitcases. She was subsequently arrested and charged.

The accused woman told the courts that she had come to Jamaica on July 28 to visit family members when both of her suitcases got damaged and she borrowed the two she was held with. She denied any knowledge that the drugs were there.

Resident Magistrate Glen Brown sentenced her to six months' imprisonment and slapped her with a $65,000 fine nonetheless.