importing $34,000 worth of cocaine.

Michael Graham Benjamin, of Loyal Hill, Devonshire, was caught on Christmas Eve after customs equipment revealed he had a false-bottomed bag as he returned from a shopping trip in New Jersey.

A search revealed the teen, who is a carpentry student, had brought in a cardboard package stuffed with cocaine.

Yesterday Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner ordered a social inquiry report for the July 11 sentencing.

But he warned the student's lawyer Marc Telemaque: "Right now your client should not be too encouraged.

"This is a serious offence and you should be clear what the traditional attitude has been and can only be in these cases.'' Benjamin, who was travelling with two friends who were not before the court yesterday, was present when the package was revealed by customs and asked: "What's that, cocaine or dope?'' In his first interview with Police, he said he was asked to take the bag to Bermuda by a Jamaican man he had met in America.

Once back in Bermuda, Benjamin was instructed to give the bag to a dark-skinned Bermudian man wearing a hat backward.

The accused said he was promised $2,000 for delivering the package.

In a Police interview two days after his arrest, Benjamin admitted he thought the bag probably contained drugs or money.

But during further questioning in January, Benjamin said he bought cannabis from the Jamaican man before buying the cocaine for $1,500 to feed his own habit.

Teen imported stash of cocaine Junior Crown Counsel Oonagh Goodred told the court that Benjamin, who lives with his family, was getting counselling for his drug problems.

Mr. Telemaque said his client deserved leniency because of his guilty plea and his tender age.

He said: "This is a first-time offender with no previous convictions and he should be dealt with by a non-custodial sentence.'' He cited the case of a 41-year-old first-time heroin and cocaine importer who had avoided a jail term when the courts opted for rehabilitation.

And he said the principles of alternative sentencing and counselling should apply to Benjamin to make sure he did not get trapped in a cycle of recidivism.

But Mr. Warner said the principals of deterrence needed to be remembered.

He said:: "This is exactly the type of person who drug importers target.'' Mr. Telemaque countered by saying the hard approach had failed the Country.

He said: "If you beat the mule often enough, the mule takes the beatings and won't move forward.'' Mr. Warner said: "This was a classic and systematic attempt to import drugs into Bermuda; a false-bottomed suit case, a changing of stories.

"He made a determined effort to deceive customs.'' Focus drug counsellor Kuni Frith also pleaded for leniency for Benjamin and said rehabilitation programmes at Westgate were inadequate.

She said: "A large percentage of prison population suffers from drug abuse, either cocaine or heroin, but they are not able to get the individual help they desperately need.'' Benjamin, who was on $5,000 bail with one like surety, had his bail extended until he reappears in July for the findings of the social inquiry report.