Eight US nationals, including a footballer, were convicted for breaching the Dangerous Drugs Act when they appeared in the St Ann Parish Court on Tuesday.
They all pleaded guilty to the charges of possession of cocaine and attempting to export cocaine.
Convicted are: 22-year-old mover Jamari Kitchen, 23-year-old day care worker; Kaley Hall, 22-year-old football player; Javonte Johnson; and 22-year-old hairstylist Ta’kayla Hooks, all from Florida.
The others convicted include: 22-year-old Tyshena Brison, and 27-year-old labourer Troy Craig, both of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Twenty-three-year-old student Yakine Jones, a student of NW Doctors Plantation, and 18-year-old Hailey Lawrence, of Sunset Lauderdale, both in Florida, round out the convicted American nationals convicted.
They are to be sentenced by Senior Parish Judge Michele Salmon on Friday, December 2.
The nationals were arrested for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act at a cruise ship pier in St Ann on Wednesday, November 9, following the seizure of a large quantity of cocaine.
Reports are that all eight persons were arrested after they attempted to smuggle 24 kilograms of cocaine onto a cruise ship from which they had earlier disembarked.
The cocaine was valued at approximately $1.2 million, or J$180 million.
