Six more cruise ship passengers were fined yesterday for bringing marijuana to the Island.

“I just didn't realise that I'd be breaking Bermuda's laws if I didn't take it off the boat,” Ava Grubman, 48, told Senior Acting Magistrate Carlisle Greaves.

She claimed that if she had known about Bermuda's strict drug policies she would have thrown overboard the 1.41 grams of cannabis and 1.01 grams of marijuana resin found in her cabin.

With the conviction of Ms Grubman and the five other passengers this season's number of cruise ship drug convictions now totals more than 50.

The passengers were caught red-handed by authorities when an on board search was conducted Monday with drug-sniffing dogs.

Over $50,000 has been collected since the beginning of May with $6,000 more in fines added yesterday.

Though four of the six tourists were found with a pipe in addition to marijuana, none of them paid the $500 fine which Mr. Greaves has consistently charged passengers found with drug paraphernalia.

Mark Esposito, 46, Lauren Mondi, 30, Natalie Chernyavsky, 29, and Ms Grubman were all found with pipes as well as quantities of cannabis ranging from 0.82 grams to 8.7 grams. All four paid the same $1,000 fine as Aaron Cole and Ivan Troy, 47, who were found with only marijuana.

Ms Grubman, who claimed to be in a difficult financial situation, asked for clemency when pleading guilty. She told Mr. Greaves she had brought the marijuana on board for medicinal use. “I took it in small portions for nausea and to help me sleep,” said Ms. Grubman.