Cocaine smuggler gets 18 months

Shay Daniel-Jabbi is the latest British national to get a term of imprisonment for trafficking cocaine, after he was slapped with an 18-month jail sentence in the St James Parish Court last Tuesday.

Daniel-Jabbi, a 33-year-old bartender of a London, England address, pleaded guilty to possession of, dealing in, and attempting to export 20.5 pounds of cocaine and five ounces of ganja. He pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to export cocaine, for which the prosecution subsequently made a no-evidence submission.

During Daniel-Jabbi's sentencing hearing, his attorney, Martyn Thomas, told presiding judge, Sasha-Marie Ashley, that his client suffered from attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, which made him vulnerable to manipulation from others.

"I understand that he has this disorder, but 20 pounds of cocaine is a lot of cocaine. I have to send a message to persons who are thinking of embarking on this type of venture," Judge Ashley said.

In addition to the 18-month prison term, Daniel-Jabbi was ordered to pay a fine of $1 million or spend six months in prison for possession of cocaine, and $2 million or six months for attempting to export cocaine. He was admonished and discharged for dealing in cocaine.

In relation to the ganja, Daniel-Jabbi was sentenced to a fine of $1,000 or 30 days' imprisonment.

The facts are that on May 10, Daniel-Jabbi checked in at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay to board a flight to Birmingham, England. His luggage was searched and eight rectangular packages with a white substance resembling cocaine, plus vegetable matter resembling ganja, were found. Daniel-Jabbi was subsequently arrested and charged.

Eight British nationals were arrested in May for allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine through the Sangster International Airport on different occasions. Five have so far been sentenced by the St James Parish Court.