A man has been jailed for two years for importing cannabis valued at more than $10,000 into Bermuda.

Earlier this week Jamal Manders, 38, admitted importing 103.2 grams of the drug when he appeared in Magistrates' Court. A sniffer dog alerted Police to his luggage at L.F. Wade International Airport on January 3. Manders had just arrived off a flight from Jamaica.

On Thursday, he appeared for sentencing and the court heard that Manders was asked if the luggage was his and he agreed it was. Officers searched the baggage and found two objects wrapped in red tape concealed in the handles of his bag.

Manders initially denied knowing what the objects were, but once Police revealed a "brown substance" he confessed and told them: "It's gum, marijuana". The objects were seized, tested and confirmed by a Government analysis to be cannabis resin.

Defence lawyer Llewellyn Peniston told the court that Manders had an extensive history of mental illness, schizophrenia, and used the drugs to control his shaking. According to Mr. Peniston, Manders has also been in and out of the Island's mental illness clinic for the past 25 years.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner took this into account, but said: "Because he may suffer from this illness doesn't mean he is not fit to plea."

Mr. Warner said people in disadvantageous situations, such as those with medical and psychological problems, are often used by people to import drugs, and therefore need to be watched by the courts. This however wasn't the case with Manders, he added.

Mr. Warner said: "These courts must harden their hearts and impose necessary and appropriate penalties."

He rejected that Manders was using the "substantial amount" of drugs for himself and said: "In my view it is pure nonsense even considering the psychological situation, that this drug could have been for personal use."

He ordered Manders to serve two years in jail.