pleading guilty in Magistrates' Court to possession of cannabis and drug equipment.

The court heard that 19-year-old Wilfredo Gonzales had worked part-time in a hardware store to raise enough money to take a cruise to Bermuda aboard the Meridian .

His cabin was searched when the ship arrived at King's Wharf in Dockyard.

Customs officers discovered two plastic bags containing plant material, another plastic bag with traces of plant material inside it, a homemade cigarette containing plant material and cigarette papers.

The plant material was later analysed and discovered to be 5.49 grams of cannabis which Gonzales said was for his own personal use.

Duty counsel Elizabeth Christopher said the experience had shocked Gonzales and he wished to apologise for what he had done.

She asked the court to take into consideration that his "means are very modest'' when sentencing him. But Acting Senior Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp told the man that his "financial circumstances were way down the totem pole'' of her concerns in relation to the matter.

She fined him $1,000 for possession of cannabis and $200 for possession of the drug equipment.

She added that Gonzales would have to pay the fine before he was released from custody.

CANNABIS FOUND ON CRUISE PASSENGER CTS Cannabis found on cruise passenger A Dutch man discovered yesterday that Bermuda's laws concerning drugs were not as lenient as those in his own country.

Zenith passenger Benno Entleitner, 43, of the Netherlands, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to possession of cannabis and cocaine on August 5 and was fined $1,250.

The married, self-employed artist was subjected to a search as he left the cruise ship which was berthed in Hamilton at the time.

Customs officers discovered two plastic bags containing plant material, two cardboard twists with white powder and six homemade cigarettes when they searched his cabin.

The plant material and white powder were later analysed and discovered to be 12.09 grams of cannabis and 0.34 grams of cocaine.

Duty counsel Elizabeth Christopher said Entleitner came from a country where possession of these drugs was not illegal.

However Crown Counsel Leighton Rochester -- who was not involved in the case -- advised Acting Senior Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp that only cannabis was legal in the Netherlands, not cocaine.

Ms Christopher said she did not realise that Mr. Rochester was an expert on the subject.

Mrs. Mapp told Entleitner that Bermuda took drugs very seriously.

He may have different rules in his country, she continued, but he must have been advised that drugs were illegal in Bermuda before he arrived here.

Entleitner denied that this was the case and Mrs. Mapp told him to take it up with his travel agent.

She added that he should also be aware that cannabis was probably illegal in almost every country beside his own before fining him $1,000 for possession of cannabis and $250 for possession of cocaine.

MAN USED MARIJUANA FOR MEDICATION CTS Man used marijuana for medication An American man who used marijuana to treat his severe back pain was fined $350 yesterday for bringing his illegal medication to Bermuda.

Mark Murphy, 33, of Connecticut, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to possession of cannabis and drug equipment -- namely cigarette papers -- on August 5.

The court heard that Murphy was searched as he disembarked from the Song of America at Penno's Wharf in St. George's on August 5. He was visiting the Island with his fiancee.

Customs officers discovered cigarette papers in his waist pouch and then searched his cabin.

There they discovered a homemade cigarette hidden in the lighting unit in his cabin. The plant material in it was later analysed and discovered to be 0.37 grams of cannabis.

Duty counsel Elizabeth Christopher said Murphy had been in an accident and had injured his back.

He started using cannabis as pain medicine but realised now that he was addicted to the substance and planned to seek counselling when he returned to the US.

But Acting Senior Magistrate Cheryl-Ann Mapp said while she could sympathise with Murphy's back pain -- which she too had experienced -- she had not taken the route of using cannabis and he should not have either. She fined him $150 for possession of the cannabis and $200 for possession of the drug equipment.