Quebecer gets 7 years in prison for smuggling cocaine into Australia

A Quebec woman who pleaded guilty to smugglingmore than 30 kilograms of cocaine into Australia last year was sentenced to 7years in prison on Friday.

Isabelle Lagac, 29, looked relieved when she learned her fate, according to Australian broadcaster 9News. She was facing a life sentence.

Judge Kate Traill read out Lagac's affidavitin court.Lagac expressed remorse for her "error in judgment."

"It pains me to know my defining moments of womanhood will be spent in prison halfway around the world," she said.

"This will haunt me for the rest of my life."

Lagac pleaded guilty in December.Counting the time she has already served behind bars, she will be eligible for parole inFebruary2021.

She and two other Quebecers, 64-year-old Andr Tamine and 23-year-old Mlina Roberge, were arrested Aug. 29, 2016, after the cruise ship they were travelling on, Sea Princess, docked in Sydney.

Using sniffer dogs, Australian authorities discovered in their bags a total of 95 kilograms of cocaine. They estimate the street value of the drugs at atleast $20million.

Lagac and Roberge were allegedly transporting 35 kilogramsand Tamine was allegedly transporting the rest.

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The haul was Australia's largest seizure of narcotics carried by passengers of a cruise ship or airliner, according to theAustralian Border Force.

The twowomen travelled together, shared a cabin and posted many pictures of the exotic destinations they visited on social media. It is still unclear how they are connected to Tamine.

Robergeallegesshe knew nothing about the contents of the suitcase. She and Tamine will stand trial in February.