A former Police officer has been imprisoned for 21 months in Britain on drug smuggling charges, can reveal. Tory Eugene Darrell, 31, of Philpott?s Hill Drive in Sandys, pleaded guilty to concealing close to $300,000 worth of cannabis in kick-boxing equipment destined for Bermuda.

Darrell, who was employed at the Transport Control Department until his arrest at Gatwick Airport on December 12, was convicted along with cousin Wayne Leroy Mathias McMahon, 30, of Plumbers Lane, Southampton.

Both conceded their guilt at Croydon Crown Court in Surrey on March 17, receiving a significant sentencing discount from Judge Richard Ellis by doing so and will serve their sentences at Highdown Prison in Sutton.

The two men had been on holiday in Amsterdam together in the early part of December and claimed they were carrying 5.98 kilos of cannabis for a man they befriended while in the popular Dutch city.

Returning home through London, they were apprehended by officers from the UK?s customs and excise service at Gatwick ? only half an hour before boarding the British Airways flight.

Bizarrely, both were originally charged with attempting to import heroin after the drugs ? informally analysed at the airport ? gave a positive reaction to the heroin field test.

A sample of the shipment was later sent to a laboratory where its true identity was uncovered.

Nobody from TCD was prepared to comment on Darrell?s case yesterday while a Police spokesman said last night that they were unable to reveal when Darrell left the Service.