magazine editor charged with drug possession after Airport Customs officers seized her valium.

Charges against Donna Marie Ferrari were dropped yesterday after the "tabletop, food and wine'' editor of New York-based Bride's Magazine produced a prescription for the tranquilisers.

The 39-year-old woman, forced to prolong her stay in Bermuda to face the charge, refused to talk to reporters as she left Magistrates' Court.

Mr. Woolridge said he will write to the woman and apologise for her "long ordeal''.

"These folks are very influential in their writing,'' he said. "I would hate to have any repercussions that would do detriment to our business.'' On June 16, Ms Ferrari was stopped at the Civil Air Terminal by Customs officers, who found five valium tablets inside her luggage.

The woman allegedly failed to declare the prescription tablets, her lawyer Mr.

Robin McMillan told court on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Mr. McMillan presented Police with a prescription for the valium.

Prosecutor Insp. Peter Duffy, then asked that the case be dismissed.

"Wherever you go in future that you carry anything like this, be sure to carry along your prescription with you,'' Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis admonished the woman.

But Mr. Woolridge, while "not casting any aspersions on the officials in question'', said the case never should have reached a courtroom.

"From the beginning, it was my understanding that the valium in question was prescribed by her physician,'' the Minister said. "While Police and Customs officers have an important job to do in ridding the Island of illegal drugs, "we have to temper it all with understanding and justice.'' It would have been easy to have a message faxed to the Island from Ms Ferrari's physician confirming the drugs were prescribed, he said. "I intend to write her and apologise for her inconvenience.'' A large group from Bride's was on the Island for their annual sales meeting.

Mr. Woolridge said he had dinner with Ms Ferrari's colleagues on Thursday and "they were concerned'' about what happened.

Bride's is a particularly important magazine that has supported Bermuda in the past, he said. Newylweds who read Bride's visit the Island for the first time, then often return on their anniversaries, he said.

Collector of Customs Mr. Gerry Ardis defended his officers. "Quite frankly, I would say that if the officers hadn't have acted the way they did, they would have been failing in their statutory responsibilities under the law,'' he said. "I'm satisfied that they acted quite correctly.'' Unless it is prescribed, valium is prohibited under Bermuda's Misuse of Drugs Act, and the woman should have declared the drugs to Customs officers, he said. "I don't believe she did.'' Officers have some discretion, and it is not always necessary that an actual prescription be produced, he said.

A spokesman for Bride's could not be reached for comment yesterday.

NO COMMENT -- Ms Donna Ferrari yesterday.