brushed Gregory Tucker off the street and into jail for a total of 20 months.

And last night Magistrate Edward King said the whopping penalty should send a message to other dealers -- or those considering trafficking in the deadly drugs trade.

The man behind the operation, Det. Supt. Paul Hoare of London's Metropolitan Police, said minutes after sentence was passed that the punishment fitted the crime.

The top cop, on secondment to the Bermuda Police, said: "I think the sentence reflected the seriousness with which the Magistrate viewed the offence.

"It's unfortunate a young man has had to go to prison -- but it's important that a message be sent out to other drug dealers. I'm pleased he has been given a lengthy sentence.'' Tucker, 26, had earlier pleaded guilty to supplying two US Drug Enforcement Agency men with two deals of cannabis -- totalling just 2.42 grammes -- on May 14 on Roberts Avenue, Pembroke.

He also pleaded guilty to having 1.11 grammes of cannabis, discovered when Police swooped on his home on June 6 to arrest him for the earlier offence.

The sentence came after a sitting lasting around five hours, which included a plea for mercy from Tucker's mother Gloria Trott of Crawl, Hamilton Parish and an appearance in the dock by the accused.

Sentence `fit the crime' Defence lawyer Elizabeth Christopher asked for a suspended sentence or a fine, quoting a mass of legal precedent to back her plea.

She told the court Tucker, of 20 Roberts Avenue, had held the same job until last year, supported his young son voluntarily and had no previous convictions involving drugs.

She said her client was not a habitual drug dealer but had "in a moment of folly'' succumbed to the temptation to supply small amounts to "agents provocateurs'' from the DEA.

But Magistrate Edward King told Tucker: "I have heard and considered all the defence counsel, the defendant and his mother have said in mitigation.

"I take into consideration the defendant's age, his parental status, his heretofore unblemished record and his guilty plea.

"I am not persuaded by the urgings of defence counsel that this use of agents provocateur are, in the circumstances of this case, a factor I want to take into consideration.

"You cannot but be mindful of the seriousness of the offences which defendant has committed.'' And Mr. King said that the small amounts of drugs and money involved were not a defence.

But he added: "The quantity of money and the drugs are certainly factors which I consider in the penalty to be meted out.

"It does not matter whether the the defendant supplied drugs once or a hundred times. The consequences of the illicit drug trade are far-reaching, deadly to those who indulge and destructive to the very fabric of society.

"I can't but impose a sentence which reflects the abhorrence felt by the right-thinking majority of the population of these Islands.'' "The sentence must be a message clear as a bell to all those who engage in, or are contemplating, entering the illicit drug trade.'' Earlier, Crown Counsel Brian Calhoun told the court that the Roberts Avenue was a known centre for drug-dealing on a "supermarket'' basis.

And he asked who was to control the streets -- the public or drugs fraternities.

Mr. Calhoun said: "There is currently going on in Bermuda a struggle -- a very serious struggle.'' Photos by David Skinner KICK START -- Operation Cleansweep accused Gregory Tucker takes out his rage by kicking and punching Royal Gazette photographer David Skinner outside Magistrates' Court yesterday.