Two narcotics officers hid in a hotel room closet while a Jamaican drug smuggler showed more than $92,000 worth of cocaine to her contact, Supreme Court heard this week.

But the contact was arrested minutes later after she started searching the room and found the officers, the court was told.

The hotel room incident occurred while Police were investigating an attempt to import 336.1 grams of cocaine in a cook book and a "Christmas book". The drug, which had a purity of about 70 percent, had an estimated value of $92,625.

Details of the investigation came out on Thursday in Supreme Court when the contact ? 28-year-old Kesha Mackeba James ? pleaded guilty to attempted possession with intent to supply cocaine worth almost $100,000 on October 26, 2002.

The second person involved in the case, Michelle Elizabeth Brown, had previously pleaded guilty to importation of the drug and was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in bringing the drugs onto the Island.

The third person, Garsha Andre Daley, was freed on Monday after prosecutors chose not to proceed against him because of lack of evidence. Senior Crown counsel Lloyd Rayney told the court that Daley will be deported after entering the country under a false name.

Mr. Rayney said Police received a tip-off that Brown would be bringing drugs onto the Island on October 25, 2002 and searched her at the Bermuda International Airport.

Mr. Rayney said Brown gave the Police names of people involved and agreed to cooperate with Police.

She also phoned James' boyfriend in Jamaica ? who allegedly arranged the cocaine shipment ? to tell him that she had successfully passed through Customs.

The next day, the boyfriend contacted James and told her to bring Brown food at the hotel where she was staying.

But they ended up going out to get food while two narcotics officers hid in a closet in Brown's hotel room.

When Brown and James came back to the hotel room, Brown showed James the books and opened them.

James then began looking around the room and opened the closet door to find the narcotics officers who arrested her.

Later the women were taken to Daley's house in a taxi driven by an officer.

Daley was waiting for the women in the yard. The women got out of the taxi and handed Daley the books containing the cocaine. When Daley took the books, he was arrested. All three were taken to Hamilton Police Station where they were processed.

Brown agreed to testify against James and Daley and was granted a reduction with her sentence.

Mr. Rayney told the court: "Parity should apply in this case."

He told the court that both Brown and James' offences carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. He also said how Brown was responsible for the importation, describing her as a mule. He said James would have been involved with distribution if she had not been caught.

"The evidence against her is clearly overwhelming," he added.

But lawyer Mark Pettingill, representing James, said: "If Brown was the mule then James was the patsy. She was used, unaware, and taken advantage of.

"Parity does not mean we are looking at the same sentence that Brown received."

Mr. Pettingill added: "This young woman has been punished enough. She has been remanded for 14 months.

He suggested that James did not know Brown had drugs until she got into the hotel room.

"I strongly submit that this is a case where enough has been done to her. It sends a message to people who consider or attempt to take possession of drugs ? you can go to jail."

He suggested James had done enough time and deporting her could be a solution.

Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons asked James if she would like to address the court.

James said: "I would like to make a public apology. As a result of bad choices I appear here. I ask the court and people of Bermuda for forgiveness.

Mr. Rayney rejected Mr. Pettingill's claim that James did not know about the drugs.

"In a previous interview she admitted knowing her boyfriend deals drugs and that he was doing that with Brown," Mr. Rayney said. "The case against her is overwhelming because she got caught red-handed."

Mrs. Justice Simmons told the court: "The law states life is the maximum sentence. I believe that this sentence calls for the low end of the law. It should be less than importation.

"I apply a sentence of three years, taking into consideration time served."