Jail term for selling drugs paraphernalia

Tommy Chong, half of the Cheech and Chong double act, has been sentenced to nine months' jail for selling drug paraphernalia.

The 65-year-old comic was also fined $20,000 for his Internet operation.

He pleaded guilty after investigators bought bongs from his now-defunct Chong Glass website. A subsequent raid on his California offices netted "thousands of marijuana bongs and pipes".

Before the hearing, the comedian, who is said to be working on a new movie with Cheech Marin 18 years after their last dope-based project, made jokes about his case outside the court, suggesting it would make a good plot for the film.

But afterwards, Chong's publicist said he was shocked by the severity of the sentence and felt that prosecutors had wanted to make an example of him.

Published: 12 Sep 2003