A tampon filled with seven home-made cigarettes containing cannabis cost a Florida tourist a $1,000 fine in Magistrates' Court.

Linda Ann Webster, 48, of Tallahassee admitted she imported 4.89 grams of cannabis last Thursday afternoon aboard a flight from Atlanta, Georgia.

Webster pleaded guilty and apologised before Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner yesterday.

Mr. Warner had heard that a Customs drug dog sniffed out a box of tampons in Webster's small brown duffel bag. Moments before, a Customs officer had called her aside to a secondary inspection area.

A narcotics officer asked her if she had any illegal narcotics in her luggage or on her person. Webster replied: "No."

Webster ? who had no previous convictions ? was asked by a narcotics officer if she understood and replied: "I have had this for about the last ten year's, you can take it if you want."

The defendant was asked by the officer: "Do you have any more (drugs)?"

Webster replied: "That's it."

The officer then inspected the tampon box again and found five home made cigarettes concealed in a tampon wrapper and was asked by the officer, "Do you know what this is?"

"Its marijuana," Webster replied and was then asked to whom it belonged and responded: "It belongs to me."