investigate a massive cocaine-smuggling ring has had his 20-year sentence slashed.

Antonio Miranda walked out of the Court of Appeal with a seven-year sentence.

The three Appeal Judges agreed the "supergrass'' was entitled to between a 50 and 75 percent discount for helping Police. They decided on a 66-percent, or 13-year discount.

Miranda, who acted as a Cuban drug empire's "man in Bermuda'', has already served three years at Casemates Prison.

He had testified for the prosecution in the recent drug importing trial of Mr.

Larry Ebbin.

Mr. Ebbin was, however, acquitted of all charges. He had been the last of four men the Crown believed were involved in the multi-million dollar cocaine conspiracy.

Only one of the men landed behind bars, Dexter Dillas, who pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges in his retrial last October.

But Crown counsel Mr. Diarmuid Doorly agreed with defence lawyer Mr. Kim White that Miranda had cooperated fully with authorities and deserved a discount in the 50-75-percent bracket.

Mr. White had argued the "supergrass'' or informer was to be encouraged as they were Police's best weapon in cracking drug rings and prosecuting their members.

The appeal was heard on Friday afternoon after being squeezed in after a last-minute scheduling change.