IT was supposed to have been his first trip to Frankfurt, Germany, but because he had swallowed more than half a pound of cocaine before his journey, Glendevon upholsterer Ransford Davis didn’t make it past the Sangster International Airport.

He was slapped with drug charges, which later got him nine months in jail plus a $180,000 fine, and pushing him into deeper financial woes.

According to Davis, who is an upholsterer, he had attempted to smuggle the contraband out of the island so that he could raise money to buy a sewing machine for his shop.

The St James man was stopped at the Sangster International Airport on April 25, where he admitted to having ingested cocaine. He later excreted over half a pound of the cocaine at the Cornwall Regional Hospital and was arrested and charged for possession of, dealing in and attempting to export the substance.

“The only reason I did it was because I didn’t have a proper machine to do my work. So I did it to buy the machine so I can continue with my work,” Davis told the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate’s Court.

“I ask you to forgive me your honour,” he begged presiding judge Valerie Stephens.

But forgiveness was not on the cards. She fined him $50,000 or six months for the possession of the drug and another $50,000 or six months for dealing in it. For attempting to export the substance, judge Stephens fined Davis another $80,000 or six months and sentenced him to nine months imprisonment at hard labour.