cocaine, to more than three years in prison.

The Royal Gazette has learned that Howard Emery, of Devonshire, pleaded guilty on January 19 to importing 230 grams of cocaine into Canada.

Emery was believed to have been on his way back home from Jamaica via Canada on November 30 when he was stopped at Toronto International Airport and the drugs were found on him. He has been in custody ever since.

And yesterday deputy head of prosecutions at the Toronto Justice Department Mr. Morris Pistyner told The Royal Gazette Emery will have to serve a 45-month jail sentence in addition to the time he has already spent in custody.

Although Mr. Pistyner did not know where Emery was serving his time, he said Emery was most likely at a penitentiary in the Kingston, Ontario area.

It was also not known when or if Emery would be eligible for parole.

But a Toronto Immigration officer said Emery or anyone convicted of a drug offence in Canada would have wait at least five years after the completion of their sentence to revisit Canada.

The officer said the convicted person will then have to obtain a certificate of rehabilitation which takes about a year to be granted, if at all.

She added that there were special travelling permits. But the granting of them would depend on the nature of the offence and the convicted applicant's reason for wanting to travel to Canada.

"The final decision'' she added, "rest with the Immigration office''.