A Rastafarian farmer who attempted to export 54kg (118lb) of ganja to the United Kingdom (UK), was yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment at hard labour after pleading guilty.

The Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court heard that the man, Adolfus Blake, packaged the drug in a very popular children's juice box. A whopping 398 of these weed-containing boxes were taken from the 20 feet container that Blake was trying to use to ship the contraband.

The investigating officer said the container aroused suspicion after it was x-rayed at the terminals. He said that the fact it was only transporting a small amount of goods, comprising of the juice boxes, bottled water and some tonic wine, warranted an investigation.

He noted that after the discovery, further investigation showed that the shipment was being done by a 'Clive Williams' a pseudo-personality, which was later linked to Blake. The accused man was then picked up by the police and charged with possession, dealing, conspiracy to export and taking steps to export ganja. Another man, Kingsley Parchment, was also detained.

Allegations are that Parchment was the one who made the payments for the shipment. He was let off the hook however, after Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown said the matter against him was hard to prove. The RM gave him a stern warning that should he come back before the court the outcome would not be so favourable.

Blake, who also had a previous fraud conviction, broke down in to tears after being sentenced. He sobbed and begged: "Your Honour please mi a beg yuh if yuh cudda jus small dung de time fi mi?" His plea fell on deaf ears.