An American plumber convicted of bringing drugs into the island was fined $6,000 in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Michael William Alicea, 42, of Hazlet, New Jersey pleaded guilty to importing 2.64 grams of cannabis and 1.18 grams of methamphetamine (speed) on Tuesday aboard a cruise ship.

"Consider yourself lucky that you're not on your way to West Gate [prison]," Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner advised him.

Crown Counsel Nicole Smith told the court that customs officers, responding to a security report of burning cannabis on one deck, boarded the "Norwegian Crown" as it lay at Pennos Wharf.

The officers detected the strongest odour outside of Mr. Alicea's cabin.

He answered the door when they knocked and admitted having drugs, the prosecutor said.

He led the officers to a zip-lock packet of the drug in a drawer along with some burnt hand made cigarette stubs.

A further search turned up the speed in two other small zip-lock bags in a pill bottle together with a small straw bearing powder residue.

Personal use

"I didn't know that was there," Mr. Alicea told the officers and the court. "It's mine. I take responsibility for it."

"This was for my personal use," he told Mr. Warner. "The more time that's passed, the worse I feel for having done this."

Asking for time to pay the fines of $2,000 and $4,000, Mr. Alicea said that he had $3,000 and needed to raise the remainder from his

fiancée.

Those fines were due the same day.