By Clinton McGregor
They were slapped with heavy fines instead of mandatory jail time.
The eight, including four women, were caught last month attempting to smuggle 17 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $130 million onto a cruise ship docked in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
Hailey Lawrence was fined $850,000 or six months imprisonment for possession and $30,000 or six months in prison for taking steps to export.
Kaley Hall was fined $1 million or 11 months for possession and $30,000 or nine months for taking steps to export cocaine.
Tyshena Brison was fined $1.25 million or 11 months in prison.
The other convicts were given fines ranging from $1 million to $1.25 million by presiding Judge Michelle Salmon.
The police say all eight are members of an international drug trafficking network operating between Jamaica and the US.