Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to importing and possessing almost two ounces of cannabis.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor said Jeffery Turkin 23, and Marc A. Dennis, 21, both of Staten Island, New York, were searched by Customs officers at Number One Shed, Front Street at 9.25 a.m. on August 11 after the officers became suspicious of them.

Soon after being searched they were taken to their cabin where Customs officers found two plastic ziplock bags, containing "a plant-like material'', three homemade cigarettes, and two packs of cigarette papers.

Sgt. Taylor said Dennis, who is a college student, and Turkin, who is unemployed, were taken to Hamilton Police Station where the plant material was tested and found to be 39.68 grams of cannabis. Dennis and Turkin were then formally charged with importing cannabis and possession of the drug. The men admitted they bought the drugs in New York for $125.

Yesterday, Senior Magistrate Will Francis told the two the amount they had was sizeable "even for two young men charged together''.

"You knew you were taking a serious risk buying drugs and bringing it to another country didn't you?'' Mr. Francis asked them.

"You just planned to engage in a lot of cannabis smoking?'' Dennis and Turkin answered yes to both questions, before hearing that they would have to each pay $2,000 in fines.

Mr. Francis fined both men $1,000 on each count.