TUESDAY, MAY 15: An American tourist was today fined $1,600 after he admitted ecstasy and cannabis possession.
Travis Gembarowski, 30, pleaded guilty to one of count of cannabis possession and one count of ecstasy possession on May 13 in Sandys.
The court heard at 1:25pm, customs officers were in Dockyard searching the Norwegian Dawn.
The officers entered the Vermont native’s cabin with a sniffer dog who alerted them to a grey suitcase and a red duffle bag.
In the suitcase, officers found two clear plastic bags with plantlike material and one plastic bag with white powder.
In the duffle bag, officers found homemade cigarettes.
When Gembarowski came back to the ship, he was arrested and admitted the drugs were his.
He said: “I didn’t mean to break your laws.
“I thought it would be fine if I left them on the ship.”
The drugs were seized and found to be 7.16 grams of cannabis and 0.88 grams of ecstasy.
Addressing the court, the defendant said: “I just want to apologise to your country.
“I accept full responsibility.
“Everything I had was for personal use for while I was on the cruise.
“I am willing to do whatever the court wants me to do to take care of this matter.”
Gembarowski said he didn’t want to be stranded in Bermuda as the cruise leaves tonight.
“I have my people working on that right now to get money together to pay a fine.”
Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner told him he wouldn’t be stranded in Bermuda and fined him $800 for each drug.