A man has been jailed for four years after he attempted to smuggle $317,240 worth of drugs into Bermuda.

Chandra Kota, 23, admitted conspiring with others to import cannabis and cannabis resin to Bermuda through a British Airways flight.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of importing a controlled drug and two counts of conspiracy to import a controlled drug.

Puisne Judge Alan Richards sentenced him yesterday to three years in jail for the first two counts and four years for the others, to run concurrently.

Mr Justice Richards pointed out during the hearing that Kota came forward to police early about the drug run, even though it was not his first to the island.

He added: “You are young and your imprisonment will keep you away from your family — but that is the chance you take by doing what you did.”

Earlier the court heard that Kota, an Indian student studying in Britain, was selected for a random search when he arrived at LF Wade International Airport on September 21 last year.

Customs officers scanned his hard-shell suitcase and backpack and found several heat-sealed packages in the lining of the backpack.

They also seized Kota’s mobile phone and discovered through his messages that this had been his second drug run to the island, with the first taking place in July that year and not having been intercepted.

Allegations that he had the drugs with intent to supply stayed on file, meaning he did not have to answer to them.

Adley Duncan, for the Crown, had called for Kota to serve between six and eight years in jail, calling the range a standard sentence for drug offences of this level.

However, Nicole Smith, for the defence, pointed out that her client co-operated with police and admitted his crimes at his earliest convenience.

She called for between one and four years behind bars.

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