The two former Dunkley?s Dairy employees convicted of conspiracy to import close to $3 million worth of marijuana in October 2003 have been sentenced to ten years imprisonment.

Michael Madeiros, 41 and Steven Flood 39, were unanimously found guilty in February this year following a dramatic Supreme Court trial which saw Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley testify as a witness for the Crown as well as the emergence of allegations of Police brutality ? resulting in six narcotics officers being charged with assault.

The drugs, which were concealed in boxes labelled as graphic art materials, were detected by American customs officials on the dock in Salem, New Jersey en route to the Island.

In collaboration with local narcotics officers, a small portion of the cannabis was allowed to continue on to Bermuda, where the boxes were eventually collected by Flood at the Devonshire dairy under the eye of a Police surveillance operation.

During the trial, Crown counsel Paula Tyndale maintained that Madeiros and Flood had conspired with a number of other individuals not in court, including a drugs baron referred to only as ?Bingy?.

Ms Tyndale yesterday asked Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves for a sentence of between 12 to 15 years, arguing that the duo?s involvement in a collective criminal activity was extremely serious and posed a significant threat to public welfare.

In reply, defence counsel Mark Pettingill poured scorn on the ?lofty requests? of the Crown.

He suggested both Flood and Madeiros were nothing more than fringe players in a wide-ranging conspiracy to import close to 130 pounds of cannabis, and should not be unduly punished for their limited roles in the scheme.

He also pointed to the defendants? previously clean criminal record and to the constructive roles they had played in the community. But addressing a court room packed with emotional friends and family members, Mr. Justice Greaves argued that despite the good characters of both Madeiros and Flood, the gravity of the offence warranted a ?substantial? custodial sentence.

He also stressed that in his view, no significant sentencing discount should be applied to formerly law-abiding citizens in drug importation cases, as these are the very people, he said, that the authorities are least likely to detect and who are now increasingly being used as conspirators or mules.

?Flood and Madeiros are just the kind of persons Police least expected ? yet they descended to the depths of corruption and deceit,? he said.

?They used the container of one of the most reputable companies and one of the most reputable families on the Island. I am sympathetic to their young children and families who will be hurt by this sentence. But I feel even more sorry for the children of this society who are corrupted and put at risk by the actions of men such as these. Despite the defence?s arguments, in circumstances such as these, I am not of the view that their should be any distinction [in terms of sentencing between people with previously good characters and people of colourful characters.?

Meanwhile, the six narcotics officers accused of beating up Madeiros while he was in Police custody all pleaded not guilty to the charge in Magistrates? Court on March 23.

The trial of D.c Kirly Mitchell, D.c. David Bhagwam, D.c. Andrew Woolridge, D.c. Antoine Fox, D.c Alan Miguel and D.c. Jameiko Tucker is scheduled to take place in June.