Duo sob as they are jailed for cocaine smuggling

UPDATE: Two US residents were sentenced to six years in prison for smuggling $125,000 of cocaine into Bermuda.

Tasha Plummer, 34 and Collin Moodie, 40, both admitted bringing the cocaine into Bermuda on May 30 after flying in on a commercial airline.

Crown counsel Garrett Byrne told the court the pair arrived at the LF Wade International Airport from the US.

They were travelling together and sat next to each other on the plane.

When they got to Customs, both defendants were searched separately.

During his search, Moodie removed his underpants and an object fell out that was taped to his groin.

Asked what it was, Moodie said, “I don’t know”.

He also said he was bringing it to Bermuda for a “guy named Tony”. Moodie was arrested and declined to give an interview.

Plummer was also searched and said she didn’t know what her co-defendant was carrying on him.

The defendant denied a personal search and was taken to the hospital where two latex condoms containing the drug were found inside of her body.

Moodie had 241 grams of cocaine on him with a street value of $60,275. Plummer had 249 grams inside her body, worth $64,350.

Plummer is a mother-of-three is and Moodie is a father-of-eight.

Saul Dismont, lawyer for both defendants, said Plummer was in “financial difficulties” as she had recently lost her home and takes care of her elderly mother as well as her children.

“She was told by someone she could make a lot of money with drugs in Bermuda.

“She bought them in New York for $1,000 and was looking to make a profit of $5,000 to $10,000 in Bermuda. “

Mr Dismont also said she admitted her guilt when she was taken to hospital and has no previous convictions.

Mitigating for Moodie, Mr Dismont said he has worked for Delta for the past five years and cares for his eight children and his brother’s children after his brother died in Jamaica last year.

Mr Dismont said, “He was asked by an individual to bring drugs to Bermuda and he would expect payment once he was in Bermuda.”

Addressing the court, a tearful Plummer explained her financial difficulties and said: “I lost my job around seven months ago. I lost my house.

“Everything personally that I owned. It was very difficult financially so I took an opportunity of what was presented to me.

“I apologise for my actions and I take full responsibility.”

Moodie, also tearfully addressed the court and apologised to the people of Bermuda, the prosecutor and the court.

“This is something that I would never do in my life in the 40 years that I have been on this earth.

“I have shamed my family and my kids who looked up to me.

“I just want to take full responsibility for my actions. I should have never gone that route.”

Sentencing the pair, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: “This was a substantial amount of drugs, 249 grams by one and 241 by the other, each carrying the value of $60,000.

“In all the circumstances, this was a sophisticated and callous attempt to bring these dangerous drugs into Bermuda.

“Factoring in the discounts, in all the circumstances, the appropriate sentence is six years imprisonment.”

The sentence is from today.