A British citizen will have her visit to St. Vincent and the Grenadines extended by a period of twelve months.

Sandra Thomas, a hairdresser, was sentenced to one-year’s imprisonment by Senior Magistrate Carl Joseph last Tuesday at the Magistrate’s Court in Kingstown. Thomas, who arrived on these shores on December 20, 2005, was charged for having 693 grams of cocaine in her underwear at the E.T Joshua Airport on January 16, 2006. When the blonde, middle-aged woman appeared before the court she pleaded guilty to the charge. {{more}}

Information reaching the court stated that Thomas checked in with the immigration authorities in preparation for departure. She was going through the security section when the alarm triggered. Authorities at the airport became suspicious and summoned her.

Quick action saw the police being called in to investigate the matter. She was taken to the Narcotics base in Arnos Vale where a search was conducted. The search revealed a black plastic bag containing several packages of a white substance resembling cocaine that was found in her underwear.

On interrogation by the police, she told them that a guy had given her the bag to take back to England.

“We can’t keep letting these sort of things happen,” said Magistrate Joseph as lawyer, Grant Connell humbly asked Magistrate Joseph to be lenient and impose a financial penalty. Connell explained that his client had just come out of a horrid relationship and that she has three grandchildren to look after.

A similar incident occurred last year on August 17 involving Monique Roland of Bequia. Roland was charged with having 1052 grams of cocaine in her suitcase with intent to supply to another, at the E.T Joshua Airport; she pleaded guilty and was fined $20,000.