An 18-year jail sentence has been meted out to a cruise ship worker who imported more than $300,000 worth of heroin and cannabis.

The full amount of drugs Jamaican national Andrew Laing brought to Bermuda on the Norwegian Spirit will never be known, as he was involved in two drops prior to the one leading to his capture last year.

Despite his successful escape after assaulting a female Customs officer who tried to arrest him leaving the ship last October 6 in Dockyard, Laing, 33, was eventually detained after a month-long manhunt.

Police welcomed the lengthy sentence yesterday, with a spokesman saying: "It brings to a conclusion a successful joint Police and HM Customs operation that prevented cannabis and heroin from reaching the streets of Bermuda. The sentence for assaulting an officer while trying to escape capture clearly shows that such behaviour will not be tolerated by the courts. It is also worthy to note that although Mr. Laing was able to elude capture for a short time, it was through the assistance of a member of the public who came forward with relevant information that he was brought to justice. This is a prime example of what can be achieved when local law enforcement agencies and the public work together."

Laing's accomplice and one-time girlfriend Teteeta Iereria was spotted by Customs officer Stacey Todd leaving the ship last October 6. Special Constable Todd had noticed her acting suspiciously by wearing a hooded sweater despite the warm weather and followed her, spotting her a few moments later with Laing in the Clock Tower Mall. She attempted to stop them for a search, but both ran off after Laing pushed the officer over. Iereria was detained a short time later by another officer and found to have eight packages of drugs strapped to her body. They contained just over 60 grams of heroin, with a street value of $232,220, and 1,577 grams of cannabis, worth $78,850.

Laing was eventually arrested in Southampton on November 8 after Police had issued repeated appeals to the public for help to find him. His trial heard he was detained after officers rammed down the door of a residence in Whale Bay, and sprayed him with pepper spray during a violent struggle that ensued.

Iereria, a mother of two from the South Pacific island of Kiribati, opted to help the authorities in order to get a lighter prison sentence. She gave evidence against Laing, who was born in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, during his Supreme Court trial last month. She told how they obtained the drugs in New York from a man she did not name, and brought them to Bermuda on three occasions.

Iereria, a cleaner on the Norwegian Spirit<$>, told the court Laing was her main boyfriend but admitted to having many others on board the ship and to being jilted by Laing.

“I’m hurt, I know he never loved me. I’m serving time so I want him to serve time. He exposed me to do this. I’m not jealous or in love with him anymore. I’m speaking the truth from the beginning until now,” she said during the trial.

As a result of her evidence, and that of other prosecution witnesses, Laing was convicted by unanimous verdict on June 21 of four counts of conspiracy to import heroin and cannabis. He was also found guilty of serious assault on Officer Todd.

Iereria was sentenced to five years in jail for importing the drugs prior to giving evidence in the Laing trial. Her lawyer Elizabeth Christopher had asked Chief Justice Richard Ground to take into account assistance her client had given the Police up to that point.

At Laing’s sentencing hearing yesterday, Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale asked Puisne judge Norma Wade-Miller to jail him for 18 to 21 years for the drugs matters, since heroin importation attracts a mandatory 50 percent increase on basic sentencing guidelines. Ms Tyndale described Laing as the organiser and / or supervisor of the crime, getting in touch with the supplier in New York and the receiver of the drugs in Bermuda.

She also pointed to previous court rulings that urge judges to give heavier sentences to those who bring drugs in on cruise ships because of the security implications associated with the vessels along with their key role in the tourist trade.

Ms Tyndale indicated that there may have been other players in the conspiracy — and defence lawyer Mark Pettingill pointed out that they have not been brought before the courts.

“There was certainly a network,” he said, listing mitigating factors for his client. “There’s a Bermudian receiver. There’s a New York supplier. On the facts, while his role falls higher than Teteeta Iereria, it doesn’t fall into the role of the mastermind. These (Iereria and Laing) are the ones who always end up before the courts and the major culprits will make use of these people and walk away from it.”

He also asked that Laing’s sentence be compared to the length of the five-year jail term meted out to Iereria.

“She carried the drugs off and hoodwinked the authorities,” he said — pointing out that Iereria may appeal to get this sentence further reduced in the light of her assistance during the Laing trial. Ms Tyndale also alluded to this, explaining to the court that Iereria was not charged with the more serious offence of conspiracy like Laing because at the time, prosecutors had “nothing more on her involvement than the finding of the drugs on her.”

Addressing the court in his own defence, Laing protested: “I’m innocent. I don’t have any convictions for what they talking about...I never do drugs on that ship. I never sell drugs in my life. It’s just because she (Iereria) was upset with me because the relationship is finished.”

Sentencing him to 17 years for the drugs conspiracy plus an extra year for assaulting Officer Todd, Mrs. Justice Wade-Miller told him he had to respect the verdict of the jury.

Drugs importer starts 18-year jail sentence