yesterday paid the price of "foolishness'' with a jail term.

Kingsley Owen Young took a chance when he paid $1,500 for drugs with a street value in Bermuda of around $5,000.

The 22-year-old had hoped to sell the dope here in a deal set up by accomplices.

But the gamble backfired when Customs officers at the Civil Air Terminal found the heroin in his bag of toiletries.

Father-of-three Young, of St. John's Road, Pembroke, admitted importing and possessing drugs.

Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward jailed him four-and-a-half years.

He had earlier dismissed a plea by Young's lawyer Mr. Archie Warner for sentence to be deferred for a social inquiry report.

Mr. Justice Ward said the Court of Appeal had fixed guidelines on drug cases, and a probation officer's report was inappropriate.

"Judges at this level must steel themselves for their duty,'' he added.

Crown Counsel Mr. Khamisi Tokunbo said Young was searched by Customs officers after returning from New York on June 13.

He had a carry-all bag of clothing, and a Conway Department Store bag of toiletries, including lotions, deodorants, and five jars of All Ways hair treatment products.

Said Mr. Tokunbo: "As a result of certain observations which the officers made the defendant was requested to go into a search room so that a closer inspection could be conducted.'' Mr. Tokunbo said a Ziplocked plastic bag was found in the "hollowed'' walls of a hair treatment jar.

"The bag contained plant material. The defendant identified the plant material by saying `it's a bag of weed'.'' In another jar, several small paper bags marked "Eyewitness News'' were found, each containing a white powder.

"Following another caution the defendant identified the substance as heroin,'' said Mr. Tokunbo.

"The remaining two jars were examined and each contained several small paper bags with a white powdered substance.

"Some bags were marked `Eyewitness News', others were marked `Full Force'.'' Mr. Tokunbo said the Government analysis confirmed the plant material was cannabis.

The white powder was found to be 4.52 grams of diamorphine -- or heroin -- with a street value of $5,675.

Mr. Tokunbo said Young told Police he had been given $2,900 by an individual in Bermuda.

He had been instructed to meet other people in New York in a bid to obtain drugs.

"He said the drugs were purchased at a cost of $1,500 in New York. The defendant went to a Conways Department store where he purchased the drugs and returned to a hotel where he was staying to package the drugs in the jars before his return journey to Bermuda.'' Mr. Warner said Young had been unemployed at the time of the offence.

"Like many people in his age group in these economic times he fell into financial difficulties. He has three children, and there was a certain financial strain on him.'' Mr. Warner added: "He had an opportunity to travel abroad and bring drugs back to Bermuda. Foolishly, he thought he could take a chance, but obviously it did not work out.'' Mr. Warner described it as a "nonsensical'' scheme by a desperate young man.

"It was a crude method of importation, in a bid to make a quick investment.'' Mr. Warner said his client had since shown the greatest remorse.