A man hailed as one of the Island’s promising footballers has been jailed, on a charge of handling nearly $50,000 worth of drugs while working as an airport security officer.Dandy Town player George Dyer faced a possible ten years’ imprisonment, after being caught with drug packages, which he admitted retrieving from an aircraft on June 13 at LF Wade International Airport.Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner told him: “This is a substantial amount of drugs handled in an aggravated manner, in that you were in a position of trust at the airport.”According to Crown counsel Susan Mulligan, Dyer was an officer for the Bermuda Security Group.However, she requested a discount in Dyer’s sentence, in part for his cooperation.The court heard that the three packages were hidden in a compartment above the rear exit door of Air Canada flight 943 from Toronto.Dyer, tasked with searching the aircraft, drew the suspicion of a police officer and locked himself in the rear bathroom.Ms Mulligan said officer approached Dyer on the tarmac, and told him he was being detained for a search.Hearing an object strike the floor as he escorted Dyer through the arrivals hall, the officer found a package wrapped in duct tape. Two similar packages were concealed in the waistband of Dyer’s shorts.They were later found to contain 948.7 grams of cannabis, with an estimated street value of $47,425.The court heard that under interview Dyer admitted bringing the packages off the plane, adding: “I was not the only one involved. I know I’ve done wrong and have to face the consequences. I just want to cooperate.”Ms Mulligan added that, according to a deal made two weeks earlier, Dyer said he’d been paid $2,400 by an individual not before the court to remove the packages.He had no prior convictions.Dyer, who comes from Hill Crescent in Pembroke, has been hailed in recent years as one of Dandy Town’s rising talents.Duty counsel Susan Moore-Williams asked Mr Warner to consider Dyer’s youth, strong family background and remorse.Describing him as “someone who has led a fairly sheltered life”, Ms Moore-Williams added: “Sometimes young, impressionable people are led to bad decisions.”Mr Warner called it “a straightforward transaction for money”, rather than driven by a need for drugs.He told Dyer: “You are entitled in law to a substantial discount for your guilty plea, which includes your cooperation.”After considering Dyer’s social enquiry report, Mr Warner sentenced him to 18 months’ imprisonment.