MONTEGO BAY, St James — A 48 year-old English supermarket worker was last week fined over $400,000 and sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading guilty to trying to export nearly 50lbs of ganja from the island last month.

Julie Hussen who tried to smuggle the ganja hidden in pineapples and ground provisions on July 16 was found with two shipments –one weighing 25.5lbs and the other 23lbs.

Attorney Delford Morgan who represented her told the court that his client was the “victim of a scam that would benefit others more than herself,” as after she resisted at first “was prevailed upon” by a family member.

The attorney who described his client as “simple minded,” said she also suffered from a variety of ailments and would be a burden on the prison’s medical budget if incarcerated.

RM Carolyn Tie however said she did not accept the “simple-minded” description of Hussen arguing that she made a choice, knowing fully well what she was getting herself into.

The accused woman was held at the Sangster International Airport after she was processed to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to Gatwick.

The first suitcase that was searched in her presence contained 23lbs while the other had 25.5lbs.

She was fined $15,000 or six months on each count of possession, and $184,000 or six months and $204,000 or six months for taking steps to export ganja and sentenced to a mandatory eight months on each count. The sentences are to run consecutively the RM also ordered, while admonishing and discharging her on the charges of dealing in ganja.