A single mother of two who admitted possessing liquid cocaine with a street value of around $427,625 has begun serving a 13-year prison term.

Judy Louise Spence, of Boundary Terrace, Devonshire, had been arrested waiting in a car on February 2 at the Grotto Bay Hotel where she worked after sending in her nephew Comal Spence to pick up the bottles.

Narcotics officers had set a trap for the two after breaking a drugs ring which imported cocaine into Bermuda from Jamaica via the US.

On January 31 US Customs had picked up two women attempting to smuggle six one-litre bottles of liquid cocaine into Logan airport in Boston.

The pair led them to a US man and his Jamaican wife who also agreed to cooperate with police after a search of their home in Cape Cod, Boston revealed three one-litre bottles which also had liquid cocaine.

The couple's drug boss in New York then rang to get the bottles couriered into Bermuda. Two US agents made the trip acting as drug smugglers.

Once installed at the Grotto Bay hotel they were called by the New York contact who told them to wait for the local contact codenamed "Auntie''.

She rang and told them her nephew would be in to collect the bottles as she was not allowed on the hotel premises on her day off.

At 3 p.m. a man who identified himself as "Mal'' collected the six bottles.

He left the room and waited on a nearby balcony. But when Police officers came out of hiding to arrest him he threw the bag from the balcony.

The suspect was identified as Comal Spence, of High Point Road, Devonshire, who had pleaded guilty to handling cocaine at a hearing earlier this month.

He later told Police his auntie had paid him around $1,400 to deliver crack cocaine on three or four occasions.

Judy Spence was arrested waiting in a car. She told Police she had been involved with importing cocaine for about a year and recalled two specific deals with liquid cocaine in December 1998.

She remembered picking up three bottles from a Hamilton city restaurant and picking up six bottles at a Warwick guesthouse.

In the Supreme Court on Monday, Judy Spence's lawyer appealed for a modest sentence after explaining that Spence was raising cash to help educate her son who had attention deficiency disorder.

Kim Wilson said: "She has not got the help she deserves and has gone from from one psychologist to another and all the social services inspectors but in the end she got educational facilities in Jamaica, hence began the set of circumstances which sees her here today.

"She made a bad decision and is totally remorseful.'' However, Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons countered: "Her statement said she gave money to whoever asked for money.'' In her summing up, Ms Justice Simmons said a life sentence was a possibility for importing 1,140 grams of cocaine of 100 percent purity, though she noted Spence had cooperated with Police once caught and had admitted possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

She said Spence had been involved in the successful importation of drugs on a number of occasions.

"If you had not been caught, I don't doubt you would have continued for years,'' Ms Justice Simmons said.

She also noted that the Island was reeling from a deluge of cocaine which ended and ruined lives as well as increased the amount of violent crime.

Addressing Spence, she said: "I am sentencing you to 13 years in prison. I hope you recognise that the court has been merciful.'' Spence replied: "You have your honour.''